Wishes aren't that Great
by Genjen
Summary: Jek Thompson, a Pokemon Naturalist, has a chance encounter with the unknown. A wish granted without consent is often one you would rather not have received at all. Pokemon T/F Story.
1. Introduction and Fall

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: I've always enjoyed reading pokemon transformation stories and so have decided to add to their growing numbers. This is the first of several I hope to write.

I'll continue to write regardless of reviews, though they will be appreciated and likely keep me enthusiastic about writing this out as much as I can. I'm not sure why anyone would flame this but they will not be tolerated. I have better things to do (I guess that's a matter of opinion really?) than read the ranting angry words of a fool that got involved in something they need not have been if they detested it so.

The first chapter is a bit odd, since there really isn't much in the way of interaction. It's mainly setting a tone so you get a feel of how Jek has lived his life until now. It's mainly one of solitude and I tried to make sure you could feel as much from the way this first part is written. Sorry that the introduction is so long and such. You 'could' skip it, but you'll be missing much of the info of Jek's background and personality. His career and how he's trained himself plays a crucial role in this story.

---Revision A/N---

It took me awhile, and I should have done it sooner, but I've completed this first chapters editing. I wish I hadn't waited a month to do it though, it really needed some love. Looking at it now, it seems such a lower quality than what I'm writing at now but then this was my launching pad so of course it'll display a skill level lower than what I'll achieve the more I write. It doesn't help that I'm OCD about a lot of my work. I could rewrite every chapter multiple times and still not be satisfied. It took me about 3 hours to completely overhaul this thing.

---END Revision A/N---

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 1 -Introduction and Fall

A short introduction for those who may be interested, my name is Jek Thompson. It's an unusual name, I know, at least it is to me. Perhaps you've heard odder, or it's simply a matter of perspective. A nurse named Joy runs a pokemon medical facility in my town, that could be considered a far more unusual name. Who names their child after an emotion? Is there a Vindictive or Sorrow out there?

All that aside, that's my name and I'm an aspiring Pokemon Naturalist. It sounds fancy, but all it really means is that I sneak around taking candid shots of pokemon in their natural habitat while going about their everyday business. You might think me shameful for this, acting like some sort of sneak or spy, but I do have my standards thank you. I never take shots of pokemon in their dens or other private places of that nature. I only observe and capture moments of their lives that are already open for any nearby entity to see. Satisfied a bit? No? Yes? Well, it'll have to do.

I would prefer to draw my sights rather than take pictures, but I'm completely inept at such a skill sadly. So I'm stuck with the rather limited and split moment of a camera shot. It's faster some say, but if your timing is off even by a fraction of a second, you've failed completely. Where as an artist can memorize a moment and draw it out to it's fullest in anyway. So, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage compared to many of my colleagues, but I won't give up. I draw at times when I'm able, practice makes perfect and all, but it's just a false hope that I'll get any real skill at it I've come to realize.

I've gotten a number of good shots during my escapades, most of which scientists and other interested parties were more than happy to take for their varied interests. I still have a long way to go however, hence my use of 'aspiring' when describing my would be job title. I have most of the basic principles down, such as blending in with your surroundings.

Pokemon have extremely sensitive and keen senses, they need to if they want to survive. Creeping around my home region of Kanto, I've seen plenty of the more gruesome encounters pokemon have with each other that most city folk are not privy to. I also don't take shots of these moments, so you know. I feel a creatures death shouldn't be displayed for others to gawk at. It's the end of their own private struggle and I'll not tarnish that final moment by whoring it out like that. Others don't quite see it the way I do, but maybe it's just that I respect pokemon more than an average person does.

Sorry, I get side tracked easily. Back to the main idea; blending into your surroundings to avoid detection. Trainers don't care about seeing what's out there so much as how they affect it. They go bumbling about the wilderness seeing what's to be seen of the land, not it's occupants. Though they're more than happy to see the occasional curious soul out and about despite their presence, curiosity got the meowth in a poke'ball and what not. Trainers and us Naturalist are opposites in that way. I want an undisturbed environment, leaving the local flora to those that care, I'm only out here to see the lands fauna(If you didn't know, fauna means the group of animals in an area while flora means the group of plants in an area. Time can also be a categorizing factor with these groups). I have to take measures to blend in if I'm to be at all successful in this.

First and foremost, before one makes any outing they need to stop eating meat for a month at least. The predator and prey situation in the wild is taken very seriously. If a lower food chain creature gets even a whiff of a predator on the air, they're gone. No questions or thoughts asked. In the more active area's this rule isn't as prevalent, but in the deep rural area's where all the good shots are to be had, it's very dire to keep this in mind. Prey avoid predators like they're a group of muk. If you have some extremely good prowling skills and can keep the wind and you're own scents location in mind then you're alright, but for us average Joes that's not really going to happen. I'm pretty happy just being able to avoid twigs now, after a lot of practice. So, once again, don't eat meat for at least a month. This gives your system time to process it out so you no longer smell of whatever creatures you had eaten.

Smelling of plants, berries, nuts, and other general prey type food will sometimes flag you for receiving some attention from predators though. Pokemon of all types will normally leave humans be for the most part, scientists can only guess that humans don't smell appealing taste or nutrition wise to pokemon. Something I thank the stars for every night. So an assault is highly unlikely, but they do happen at times for various error-ed reasons. A bewildered or feverish hungry predator smells food and strikes with desperation fearing for it's continued survival, is just one. So, the second thing is to always carry a high grade can of pokemon mace. Not strong enough to do permanent damage but more than enough to send them packing. When a pokemon gets hit with a face full of mace, they feel like they're going blind and thus retreat. It's simple flight or fight instinct. One day or even two days food is not worth a permanent and often lethal handicap in the wild. The next thing to keep in mind would be a flash pellet and smoke bomb for when you run into a herd of predators, an even rarer but still possible event, that want to take a bit out of your flank.

To go hand in hand with the first thing, you want to make sure to actually fit your surroundings. If you live in a city you need to really cleanse all the lingering smells and chemicals from your skin, hair, clothes etc., if you want to achieve this. If you live in a forest and you're going to a fiery mountain, make a campfire and when you've safely put it out and let the embers cool, rub some of the ash on you and your possessions. If you're from the ocean going to the forest, do the same with some dirt. A naturalist has to keep how their environment affects them and what the occupants of the environment their going to are expecting in mind.

You need to make sure you know how to survive in an area as well, so foraging is one of the main skills and also one of the hardest. You don't see many pokemon naturalist that can traverse the Orange islands in winter then head over to the Johto region to catch the spring activity. You have to know how to survive completely off the land in whatever season. Some of us just specialize in one season for a few regions and just cycle between them yearly. Others will memorize an entire region and just focus on that area. No one has yet to learn how to survive in all the different regions at any given point of time. Not to say that a handful haven't gone to each, they just have to pack a lot of rations and such. The down side to that is that you lose that local prey scent you need to see all the scenes that make your trip worth it. You also have to make a base camp and keep going back to it for your supplies. If something happens to said supplies, you're a fish up a creek that's dried up all around you, just not a good idea.

It's also a more solo job really. There are some good duos out there, but most people in this profession are more the quiet solitude kind of people. It's really just how the job is, months traversing through different environments being as quiet and unnoticed as possible. Not many social people are capable of this.

The final thing is your most important, actually being able to capture the scenes you've gone through so much trouble to find and witness. Be it a sketch pad, a canvas, a camera or even just a photographic memory (those lucky few whom I'm very envious of). I won't go into the many variants, but least to say, mine is a simple yet effective manual camera. I'm sure many of you have used one in a photo class if you've taken one. You set the speed for it's shutter, the focus and zoom, etc. Nothing fancy, but I'm not a big time guy yet, it's a training camera for the most part. Last thing I want is to break a professional high grade device while bungling about still mastering this very fine tuned art.

So that's what I'm aiming to be. I, Jek Thompson, want to be a pokemon naturalist. As I mentioned, Kanto is my home region. I live outside of Lavender town in the rural farmland. Not that I live on a farm mind you, just around them. I spent most of my youth running around the fields chasing after imaginary and real pokemon through the various vegetation. Me and my much older brother, Kevin, lived with our mother, Tsumi. My Father, Vernon, is a pokemon league referee, so he's constantly traveling around following the various leagues and tournaments. He, of course, would be home as often as he could, but it'd still only be two months out of a year at most. We were all saddened by it, but we understood it was his dream and life to follow that career and didn't begrudge him for it.

Kevin, being six years older than I, left on his Pokemon journey after he turned thirteen. He would have gone sooner but mother wouldn't let him go until he had finished middle school at least. So if his career didn't pan out, he could at least just go through high school equivalent classes. He complained and fussed about it of course, but didn't mind too much. He was anxious but agreed that being educated would make him a far better trainer than his peers. He would of course tour the Kanto region when he was free for two months in summer, but was otherwise rooted to the homestead. He wanted to hang out with his friends in school for a couple more years, before saying good bye too I'm sure. So there I was at seven with just my mother and I with two randomly visiting family members. My aunt and uncles were very sparse except every couple years for the occasional holiday.

Tsumi was a farm hand for one of our neighbors, so we spent the nights and mornings together but were fairly busy between those times. I think this is when I kind of became more quiet than your typical person. Not that I didn't go to school or anything, it was just a country classroom where the only a couple classmates live a few miles within range of you. I enjoyed those quiet afternoons with me and the gently swaying fields on the weekends. Me and a couple friends would get together once in awhile but for the most part life was pretty quiet.

I picked up my first camera when I turned eleven. My mother gave me permission to go on a summer pokemon journey as Kevin had at my age, but she didn't think I had much interest in it as he had. Which is true, I never really felt that thrilled about pokemon battling or training. I mean, I liked them a lot and loved our pet growlithe greatly. I just didn't find the prospect of traveling around capturing and battling with pokemon all that spectacular. I didn't, and still don't, have any pokemon I take around with me. A couple of my friends went on their journeys, quitting school, while a couple more simply went around like Kevin had when he was this age. I was invited to go with a couple of them, but I declined. I did leave home to golooking around though, and that first year of creeping around the underbrush of some of the closer to town woods is when I chose to follow my current career path.

I had come across Emily Thachet when we both hid in the same bush looking at a pair of spearow fighting a geodude for a patch of oran berries. She was startled by seeing a young kid creeping about like she was and asked if I was training to be a pokemon naturalist. Now, I had no idea what that was and so she described it all to me and I found myself almost shaking with excitement. I drew in every word that she shared, every concept, and ideal.

I later found out that she was a very well known and respected person of this craft. Taking many better known shots such as the 'Butterfree Mating Dance', 'Pidgeot's Grace', and even the 'Glimpse of the Past', a blurred picture of a pokemon that looks like one of the many ancient fossilized ones that are found in archaeological digs. She said it was taken while traveling in a ravine that she had fallen into on her way through Hoenn. She, like me, was inept at drawing as so many others could but more than made up for it with her skill in brandishing a lens.

She gave me a small camera that she had used when she was starting her career and we parted. I took a few blurry and poorly lit shots that summer, but I had some good ones by the end that I could show to my mother. I didn't think to much on it other than a future career and a summer time hobby until I completed my first year of high school. I told my Mother I was going to pursue this dream and left home after that. I returned after every outing of course, but I would be gone for a month or two at a time and never stay for longer than a week at most. Or for winter since I didn't feel prepared to live out in one just yet.

That's where I am now, sixteen years old(almost seventeen thank you) and currently on the prowl in the forest north of Mt. Moon, far from the usual path trainers of this region like to follow. This is where my story begins if you'll hear it. I do feel bad though, I've just told you so much about a profession that you'll find was a moot point to know after what happened to me. I guess the knowledge could be useful to you still, not for me though. None of that matters now really, I have far greater things to worry about right now before I can get back to any of that.

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The sun's reflection rippled upon the ponds surface lazily, soft light filled the small opening in the forests thick canopy allowing for the more carefree to gaze at an unobstructed view of a clear sky with a few puffy white clouds. I sat watching an interesting phenomenon that was this drinking hole. Likely supplied by an underground water source, the mountain spring was being visited by several pokemon groups at the moment. Predators and prey alike were at the spring, fascinating as it was, and they seemed to have an understanding. The prey pokemon had their side and several of them took 'shifts' it looked like guarding the others that drank. The prey were united in defense at the water hole even, 'Amazing.' Where normally they quarrel and fight for resources they unify at this location to allow for their herds to partake while eying and keeping the predators at bay from their own section of the spring. Many species were there, not in full force I'm sure, just several of each kind doing their thing on either end.

Some rattata, being scavengers, accepted by neither prey nor predators, would dart out of the bushes and get a mouth full before returning to the thicket once more every now and then. A couple sandshrew, butterfree, squirtels, bulbisuars, bellsprouts(the list goes on) and even some rarer species humans seldom see, were at the spring. Such as a wild eevee! I took a lot of shots of how she was placed and treated by the others, 'It's so rare to see one in the wild! It must be my lucky day!' Professor Oak will definitely want this himself, if my pictures turn out okay anyway. If not I can still hopefully get another researcher to take a mild interest in them. Oak has really high standards, being at the top of the whole field of research he has to.

While a few beedrills(not really meat eaters but aggressors all the same), some meowth and persians, spearows, and even a mankey made up the other side, all of them eying each other warily. Of course, this procession didn't last long, at least none of the creatures stayed very long at the water front anyway. Coming and going as quickly as possible was the best way to describe all of their attitudes. None of the pokemon that came stayed much longer than need be. For the most part it stayed tense but frictionless with only the occasional trouble maker getting 'reprimanded' as it were by either side.

This is what I come out here for, I haven't seen a better scene yet. 'I'm sure to receive some recognition after this find.' I'll of course omit it's exact location, many of us do that, we don't want the rare treasure we've just found to be spoiled or ruined. If a researcher wants to see more or get more information they hire you out for more outings to gather data for them. That's where the real money is.

If I could understand this scene or even know a bit of what they were thinking down there, any further insight at all, I'd be even better off. I'm not really an pokemon psychologist however. I know a lot about how they act just from observing them and coming to expect certain behavior, but that doesn't mean I actually know why or what they're thinking when they do it. Sometimes when I see sights like this I truly wish I could be one of them down there, instead of just an observer. Of course, I wouldn't actually want to be a pokemon, any pokemon at all, but I can't help this stray thought sometimes. I watch them so much but know so little, it's highly frustrating at the best of times, maddening at others. Like staring at a jigsaw puzzle as it's constantly mocking you.

'Hopefully I'll get contracted once I present these pictures to an interested party.' I watched this scene for most of the afternoon from my hiding spot high up in an oak tree. I had several branches and leaves strewn about me and the only sound I'm sure that could be heard is the camera's soft click with each closing of the shutter. A few pidgey's had even come and gone from the same branch I resided on, none the wiser. Despite my success I know I'm still not up to par. Emily would be stealthing in a bush on the water front or in the water, maybe even in a hidden/buried bunker under ground taking close up shots. I'm a hundred feet away trying to steady a hand as I take a zoomed in shot from this vast distance.

When hunger finally drove my fascination and professional focus to the back of my mind, I began my descent. It wasn't a loud crash or any quick movement that I left my perch. Most would think that having gotten what you wanted there was little use for pretenses anymore. 'They're amateurs.' Once pokemon know a human is around the entire area is spoiled for a time, always on guard and looking about for them. Just because I caught this moment in time doesn't mean I'm leaving just yet, I still need to keep my presence minimal. A few pokemon do notice me once in awhile of course, I don't make a loud enough racket for many to know of me is all. The occasional pokemon seeing you means little, it's when a lot see you frequently that it goes from rumor to well known. They can communicate amongst themselves after all. If one or two say they spotted a human crawling through the brush it doesn't amount to much, but if multiple start telling others how they saw you bumbling about they'll know there's more merit to the rumor than simply a tired or scared pokemon not seeing things right. It also helps to not have any visible poke'balls (I don't have to worry about that but some have one or two for personal use with them). 'A smart move really but... oh well.' Since every pokemon knows what those are and you go from odd sight to immediate threat instantly when they see them.

I reached the bottom and pulled my safety line slowly so as to recover and recoil it for the next time I'd need it. I'm not willing to catch an image with the risk of a broken neck looming over me, so I come well prepared for such things. I travel light of course, only a small day pack with various supplies in it. Flint and tinder for an emergency fire, a wind-breaker like blanket (wraps up to be very small so perfect for travel, but it doesn't retain much heat. It stops the wind from chilling you and keeps you dry though, kind of like a tarp that's a little warmer and easier to manage), an extra can of mace and a few extra smoke bombs and flash pellets. I bring one change of clothing with me and keep a small soft blue flashlight in a pouch on my belt. The less stuff you have to carry, the further you can travel.

Clothing wise, I wear a pair of dark brown and green weather resistant tights. All you can have really, when stealth is so important. I can't afford to have loose or loud clothing ruining everything with each step I took. So while I'm sure I looked less than fashionable, out in the woods the pokemon are the only ones who would care. 'They haven't said anything about it to me yet... that I'm aware of anyway.'

I started to make my way a bit south back towards Mt. Moon, whose slopes are actually many miles from me, some thickets with berries and other edible flora were this way. I made note of them on my trek inwards, which is a good thing to keep in mind as you travel. Look for anything you can forage on the path you're traveling, In this way you can take two steps forward, one back for food, then two forward again. Instead of three forward and going hungry if you don't find anything that final step ahead. You're the only one that cares about you're survival out in the woods so you have to keep it mind at all times. Not a good idea to rely on the stories of helpful pokemon giving people a hand when their in trouble if you can help it.

I was huddling my way along some bushes when movement caught my eye. This happens often and I always look instinctively to see what it is, hand going for my camera. It was typically a pidgey, meowth, spearow, rattata or whatever else the common sight chooses to be. You just never know when there will be something rare about to pass you up unless you're at ready though. As usual, it was just a rattata bouncing past causing me to sigh a bit on the inside, having my hopes of more promising things dashed in an instant. About to continue on my way, I paused and turned back for a second. A cave lie neatly inside of a hill just past where the rattata went by me. I almost wouldn't have noticed it if not for the glance. Vines grew around it's entrance and drooped from it covering it's front like drapes in a window. The mouth was rather sizable also, at least ten feet around. 'I'll definitely have to come back to investigate this place.'

That was my thought anyway, until I saw a silver and violet blur run into the cave swishing past the vines in a hurry. 'I could have sworn that was a espeon just now...' Seeing a wild one of those is completely unheard of, even trained ones are rare. 'Did it's trainer let it go and it found it's way here?' Regardless of how it came to be in the area this was too good to pass up. To see how an espeon was living in the wild would be a major find. I went as quickly as I could to the cave without being too hasty or loud. I know they have precognitive abilities, but they only use them for seeing threats in the future. 'I have no intention of attacking or causing violence in any way so I should be okay.'

The cave was very damp and dark past the entrance, I pulled my handkerchief from my back pocket and wrapped it around my face. 'I may run into some parasects in here, hopefully none will use spores on me.' I try to go in a few feet but have to end up using my flashlight lest I start to tripping and stumbling, which would make things worse than using a light could. I heard water trickling in the distance as I crept along the wall, the cave becoming a little narrower after the entrance, though stayed well past human height as it went further in.

I could see a soft light starting to creep around a bend in front of me so I turned my flashlight off and slowed even more to a crawling pace. Past the bend some illuminated moss and mushrooms grew, casting the cavern in an eery glow. There were indeed several parasect and paras's in here but they paid me no mind or didn't bother to notice me as I made my way past them. The several zubat's that inhabited the ceiling took a page from the parasects in barely noticing my passage.

The sound of water was becoming greater and I could taste moisture in the air, condensation was already beginning to soak my clothes somewhat. 'Obviously an underground stream and likely water fall.' My heart raced a bit at the thought, I may likely see one of those beautiful enchanted scenes only a few ever witness. An illuminated cavern garden with strange fauna residing in it with a waterfall sending soft wisps of mist about the cavern floor.

I tried to stay focused but I was definitely distracted by now. When I turned the corner I did in fact see what I was hoping for, though not entirely. It was indeed an enchanting scene with an illuminated garden and soft wisps of mist floating lazy along the lush flora covered terrain or a spacious cavern. There was simply no pokemon in immediate sight that I could see after I had taken a couple instinctive pictures. 'Maybe I had seen a ditto darting into here and it changed into one of those paras actually?' That seemed likely since there were no visible places for an espeon to hide, though that would mean the ditto would have had to see an espeon to duplicate to begin with. Not being daunted by the lack of subjects to view I went inside without much caution, hard to care about being hidden when there is nothing there to see you or be disturbed by your presence.

The tunnel I had come in from leveled evenly out into the river. I ended up wading through it to reach the other side (I wear aqua sock like shoes with sturdier frames for foot protection and heavier traction on the bottom. Perfect for staying quiet, getting wet, and trekking through rocky areas. About everything you'll encounter out in the woods and they work sock free. Just need to be throughly washed every other day). My shoes made little squishing noises when I drew up out of the water to walk on the land past it. There were no flowers on the ground, instead it looked like very thick moss like plants with a few of those glowing mushrooms growing about. Little specks of pollen floated about the air catching the light as they went by, flicking fires dancing past your vision. I took a couple more shots from this side for good measure before looking around the edges a bit more.

Once satisfied that there were indeed no smaller tunnels or burrows around I turned to head back out. I took one last shot of the water fall since it was a peculiar sight. A hole seemed to be in the roof of the cavern on that side and from it water gushed to fall upon several stalagmites. 'It just seems very odd. Perhaps this is connected to the spring to the north even.' Thinking on it, this cave and the direction the water is flowing is about right. The waterfall itself just put me at unease looking at it. Something was off, aside from the odd form that the waterfall had taken. I was going to write it off as nothing when I realized that I really hadn't seen the wall past it. It seemed tacky, but... perhaps there was a cave that lay behind this waterfall. The more I thought about that, the more likely it seemed to me. After all, what better place for a psychic hermit to reside in than a hidden cave behind a waterfall?

Now, I have a thing against taking shots of pokemon in their dens, but I don't know if it's a den just yet. When I go and look, if it turns out to be a den I'll leave without hesitation. I may linger around here or the mouth of the cave outside for a glimpse of the elusive pokemon as it comes and goes but that's about all. If it's not a den, but a tunnel turning into another cavern, then I'll be in luck. Sadly, I'll need more preparation if I want to get very good shots. The less light you have to work with the longer you have to hold a camera's shutter open. This leads to blurry pictures either from the subject moving about or your own hand being incapable of stabilizing the camera long enough. Either way, I can only hope there's light enough beyond here since using a flash device on the camera isn't really an option.

Taking the few steps that separated me from the water fall I began looking past it, using my flashlight. Sure enough, a small three foot tunnel lie there, just hidden behind the water. I took my pack off to hide it away from the soaking effect of the water fall, and I made sure to change out my film before preceding back to the water front. I got fairly wet making my way into the tunnel and it was covered with condensation but this was nothing compared to what I was willing to endure. You have to be willing to get dirty and uncomfortable in this line of work.

The tunnel felt like it was getting narrower the further I went, to the point that I was almost crawling to keep going forward. I was ready to call it in when finally I saw the end. It was in fact another large cavern. I was relieved at this, last thing I'd want is to be stuck in an un-maneuverable position like this with a potentially dangerous and violent claw equipped pokemon with full access to my face.

This tunnel was fairly raised up from this caverns floor, I just barely slid up to the edge of my perch to look down below me. It wasn't as nearly interesting as the last place had been, a small drizzling creek made it's way through the middle of the area and instead of many small glowing mushrooms, there were very large ones. This room was occupied however.

I had been right, that blur was in fact an espeon. She sat on her haunches looking up at one of the large mushrooms. I followed her gaze(after taking several pictures of course) to see a mass of silky white fur pooling about the top of the alien mushroom. I couldn't make out the piles shape regardless of my camera's zooming capabilities.

'It seems we have a visitor.'

Bumping my head against the tunnels ceiling from being so startled, my face flushed from shame. I rubbed at the irritant, furiously trying to alleviate the pain somewhat.

'It has been sometime since I felt thoughts like these.'

By this time I was a little more prepared and started to think on what possibilities this could mean. 'Was this the espeon using telepathy?' The espeon was indeed staring at me from where it was now. 'Psychic pokemon-'

A soft titter of a thought passed by me, 'I am no pokemon young human.'

I started to get really uneasy about this whole encounter now, since I wasn't used to having alien thoughts passing my mind or being under the scrutiny of anything psychic. It made me feel completely exposed and vulnerable, and I didn't like that at all. I had no defenses that I could think of from something like this and there was little I could do. I only hoped whatever it was wasn't hostile.

'I will not harm you without provocation. Truly you are a worrisome thing.' The pool of fur rippled from where it lay. 'Come down from there, or should we continue on like this while you're stuffed in that tiny hole?'

I could hear the mirth in her(at least I think it was a female) voice and it agitated me slightly. Despite knowing it to be a bad idea to leave my cover and move further from my possible escape route, I pitched myself over the side and hung for a moment before sliding down to the cavern floor. I dusted myself off a bit, then turned and cautiously proceeded towards the pair on the other side. Upon reaching them I stood quietly sparing a single glance to the espeon that stood a bit to my side, whom was looking at me with barely hidden indifference. Even up close I could no better discern what lay in front of me then I could at my previous distance.

'You're so quiet, do you not know how to speak?'

I was taken aback at this. I do this often and it gets rather annoying. After so many weeks of never saying anything, even a crass word after accidentally hurting myself, I've often forgotten to speak at all sometimes; my mother told me I do it often when I return from a trip. She'll hug me and say welcome home and I'll just look at her for a moment before heading inside. The first couple times she thought I was angry with her but after she mentioned it to me I was surprised and told her that I had thought I'd greeted her.

"uuueee..." I cleared my throat a bit for a second before trying again, "I know how to speak, yes." The first sentence always feels the weirdest. "I'm rather confused and surprised to say the least. I never would have imagined such an encounter as this."

'It's always the unexpected events that affect you the most. You go into them with no preparation and only your own will to keep you afloat for a good outcome'

That statement made me feel even worse. 'A good outcome? That kind of implies that this could turn into a poor encounter, despite current friendly terms. Unless my will, as it were, managed to pull through for me.'

'So worrisome... you truly remind me of a Ninetales I knew a long time ago.' She(?) seemed to grow distant at this, gazing far into a sight that danced beyond a vision she would share with me. This whole mind talking thing she was doing had me completely flat footed. I have no idea how to really process what my brain was sensing.

'You said you weren't a pokemon, but... I doubt all that fur belongs to a human...' I kept this question that I dared not ask, for fear of offending this being, to myself.

'Now that, dear boy, is a secret. Perhaps one day you'll know, but not today.'

I grimaced, realizing my thoughts were uncontrolled and completely open for interpretation without my consent. It didn't matter what I tried to hide or not think up. She(?) could delve into what I was thinking or considering just as soon as I thought it up on reflex. Like when you're playing the game where someone asks you a question and you're supposed to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Only this was completely true first thoughts and it was entirely one sided.

'Just like him, you're right.' This was a different, more raspy, "voice" that presented itself. I glanced at the espeon, but she was looking back up at the other again, ignoring me completely now.

'Truly... This meeting leaves me feeling nice. It has been so long since I have seen a human. You managed to find this location despite it's more secretive nature, and you remind me of an old, very dear, friend. All these things in one encounter... I'll do something nice for you.'

The pool of fur moved slightly and I thought for an instant I could see a solid blue eye staring at me from underneath... and so one was. It had no black pupil nor white surrounding an iris, it was a blue sphere peeking at me from the white depths. Despite it's haunting and alien style I felt entranced by it's beauty.

'I'll grant you a wish... the wish that you desire.' This tone, despite her having said she'd do something nice left me feeling uneasy. It held a tone of mischievousness, like she wanted to pull a prank or deliver a joke. If I did indeed remind them of a friend or person, likely I'll be on the receiving end of a joke that She(?) would pull on him.

At the thought of receiving a wish, even just having the question stated a person can't help but have thoughts to follow. My instinct said that having nothing in mind at all would be best, but alas, you'd have to be a very mentally trained individual to accomplish such a feat. Not a sixteen year old boy in a cavern with a mysterious psychic after a long day of traveling across unmolested lands filled with wondrous creatures. I had no chance.

Now, I like many others have plenty of things I'd wish for in a heart beat. For that elusive scene I'll look for till the end of my career. For a chance to work with Emily and learn from her. To see all those legendary pokemon you hear about but never encounter. Even to be able to fly around. Much to my chagrin however, the first one to be presented was the one that had fluttered past my mind earlier that day, as it had on many days. I wished I were a pokemon.

Now, we all know that I don't actually want to be one, it's just a passing thought or fancy people entertain here and there, nothing we'd like to see happen or made permanent. Many other wishes followed after that one but it was the first and I physically grimaced and drew back from her. I knew I had fallen into some kind of trap, every bone, nerve and vein in my body screamed as much at me.

'That's a marvelous wish! One I'd be more than happy to grant.' I could almost feel the sickly sugar coated cute happy smile hidden behind this sentence. I'm sure She(?) would.

"Wait, that's not really what I'd want!" I anxiously stumbled back, causing me to trip on a rock which sent me to the ground on my butt. I wanted to turn and flee but that blue sphere held me, entranced, so I sat there mouth gaping in horror at what would happen next.

'It was you're first thought... truly your hearts desire. You may say no but you cried out for it before all others.'

I could already feel the haze sinking into me, a thought muddling fog. I fought to resist the pleasant drowsy feeling that was encompassing me, but to no avail. You know being wrapped in the warm comfortable blanket will kill you but it's just so comfortable, soft and nice. You know that falling asleep while having a concussion is bad but it'd just feel so nice, and the only person there that can help you stay awake is singing you a lullaby. I crumpled without so much as a whisper of defiance.

Collapsing upon the thick floor my vision faded out, all I could see was that Blue eye staring at me. Neither malicious intent nor kindness shown from it. 'Not fair..' 'You call that nice' 'I can't believe this is happening' 'What's going to happen next' 'What will I be?' all these thoughts spread out from me at once as the darkness consumed my mind as well.

'Life is never fair... you'll learn as I did young one. Perhaps you'll gain some insight from your new perspective.' This was the last thing I heard before there was nothing.

END Chapter 1 - Introduction and Fall

Parting Author Note: The end to the chapter that begins it all. The writing style changes dramatically after this. See y'all in the future chapters!

Yee haw! (The first of many to come)


	2. Delirious and Realization

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: I agree, the first part of the first chapter was very slow. I felt it necessary to display a bit of why and how Jek had come into his constant analyzing attitude and thought process. He's always going a mile a minute as it were, never fully relaxing his mind. Which is more than likely why she(?) felt the need to toy with him so. So I apologize for that but thank all of you who made it through the 'gauntlet' as it were.

The first paragraph is meant to be confusing and illogical. Showing his extreme confusion and a complete lack of lucid thought.

I wrote these two chapters back to back in two days, and edited them multiple times, so I'm fairly happy. Hopefully my inspiration doesn't dry up soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 2 - Delirious and Realization

I felt the soft ripples of the waves move about me... adrift in an endless ocean I was losing focus on any and everything in the featureless horizon. Gray water basked in the light from a white cloudless sky. No features, depths, shapes, or color. Completely devoid of anything I could anchor my thoughts to. Even I felt a featureless facet upon this mass of water, so completely devoid of all hope, passion, cognitive thought or otherwise. I was drifting endlessly, I don't know from where I came nor where I was going. All I saw was the blue sun staring down at me and I couldn't look away. It burned my eyes and brought me to tears but I never moved or even so much as twitched. It didn't matter, nothing did. Nothing mattered at all.

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Cold... I felt so cold.

Something was rubbing my numb arm and back shooting hot pain up them. I cried out.

"Th.. or.. ust of.. in tha... long it's completely... to it's core." My ear caught a feminine voice next to me. I was slowly starting to come to.

"How he managed.. vive in that water for so long com.. the underground like that is what I find am.." came a males reply from my other side.

I was so cold and these people, their touch hurt so much. Why couldn't they leave me alone, didn't they know I was in pain? 'Do they want me to suffer like this?!' I jerked and cried out again. I had only meant to struggle free but I wasn't really all together just yet. I felt so weak, not even able to shiver let alone force these two from me.

"Don't hurt yourself youngin', we're tryin' to help ya out!" cried the male at my small feeble struggle.

"Oh deary, you're hurting yourself doing that. Just relax and try to recover from that nasty tumble you must've taken." The Female said close to me. I could feel the numbness ebbing away but in it's place all I could feel was pain and so I cried. I tried to think of what could be happening, what could explain this situation I was in but came up short. I was in too much distress, I couldn't recall anything relevant.

"Now now darlin' it'll be okay. You're safe now. Shh, shh." She was hugging me to her now and I could feel her soft fur brushing against me as her words calmed me down and her warmth slowly seeped into me.

That thought took me a second to fully grasp. Her fur? And that's when I vaguely remembered. My all to short lived horror revived to live anew. I still didn't recall all the details but I felt the gist in my fear. My fear of becoming a pokemon. My ears twitched and I knew... I knew that it had been realized. My ears had to be as big as my head and... a part of me knew I had a tail as I had begun to regain feeling in my limbs. With these thoughts and horrors realized I blacked out once more, my mind not fully capable of handling the magnitude of the situation.

-----------------------------------

I could feel myself moving up and down lightly. Walking, I could hear the measured and paced steps. Those two were walking and... I was being carried... I could smell a certain sweetness in the air that I knew had to be the female. At that sniff my mind was assaulted by all the smells my nose had taken in. Never had such an array of smells been displayed for my mind to process. I would have been more at ease if I had been overwhelmed, but instead, part of me immediately digested and processed the information telling me all I needed to know and more. From the flora to the fauna within the immediate area I had a good idea of what surrounded me. The two that carried me were eevee.

"Seems the little guy's awakened a bit love." That drawled male voice said off to my side.

"I'm sure he'll be under again in no time. Poor thing doesn't have any energy at all yet, and it's not as though we can really take care of him while looking over our shoulders all the time. A cryin' shame, I wish we could do more for him." I felt comforted by the obvious concern in her voice. Some of my rising unease and sense of vulnerability, that I hadn't even noticed, ebbed away.

"Don't think I don't know as much myself. He'll be fine if we can get him to the others. Not too far now, would you like me to carry him the rest of the way hun?"

"Don't you go worrying about a little thing like him. He hardly weighs anythin' at all." I could feel her mane shake a bit. I wanted to think, talk or even do something in this situation but it was hard to focus. I would think of the 'others' they mentioned and as soon as I grasped that it'd slip away followed by another equally random and elusive thought.

"They need to put some meat on his bones, that's for sure. Seems like he's been eating grass for the last season." The male gave a light chuckle. I could almost hear her frown but she said nothing of her disapproval at him making light of my position in life at the moment. Once again I try to delve into the prospect of who 'they', 'them', etc (et cetera = Latin for "And the rest(of such things)) to absolutely no avail. I'm sure I'd have been frustrated had I the energy for it. As it were, I was left drifting in and out of waking thought, barely holding onto my grasp of reality.

This continued on for a time, how much I'm not sure. I couldn't count or any such thing as keep track of numbers of some form so I had no way to measure, except that it felt like a long time. A part of me knew it was one of those moments that is a rather short period of actual time passing but it has inched by so terribly it left stretch marks on your consciousness, wearing you thin. Finally an end seem to arrive. Though not in our movement, simply in my wait. I could smell the ones they were headed to from here. Instantly a feeling of calm and protection welled in me without provocation. The aroma was indescribable really, never had a scent done so much to me in the past. It left me terribly confused. As a human I had only the few basic instincts that we all had but grew up ignoring and pushing off to the side. It was part of our 'training' as it were to over come primal instincts. But now, I could feel their gears actively grinding in me and I could hardly do anything to wrest control from them. We all are forced to breath and a couple other major things, but it's like having that forced habit many times over. Almost all of my reactions and feelings felt like automatic reflexes now. I wasn't even fully awake and already I could tell this much. A part of me shuddered at the concept of it being worse when I'm not half dead.

That was a rather extended thought. Perhaps I'm coming to a bit better. I tried to crack my eyes open to see around me. It looked like dusk had fallen and despite the lack of light my eyes still stung from the images. My face was buried into the light brown mane of the eevee but I could see over the fur like horizon if only barely. Blurry shapes of tree's and plant life that seemed all the more incredibly huge compared to my old size's perspective of them. The soft dying light of the sun cast shadows throughout the forest. Things were visible enough, but the shadows that loomed all through out the canopied forest floor sent shivers down my spine, and disquieting enough... my tail.

A movement in the brush from behind me preceded a young voice calling out, "Hello there Roxy, Furcutter! What brings you out here tonight?" I tried to turn my head at the sound but couldn't for the life of me. I knew it was one of them, an older one than me. So that pretty much nailed it on the head. I know what she turned me into now at least but with that came a whole collage of worries and issues that I'll have to address when I'm able.

"Evenin' to ya Thunder. We found this pichu here over yonder at the spring when I was wetting my whistle." The male eevee, likely known as Furcutter since I doubt Roxy was a male name even in the pokemon language.

"A pichu? No way, we didn't lose any today though..." Thunder, a young pikachu from what my senses could tell, approached me and Roxy. The eevee shifted me around on her back and took a grip on the back of my neck to lift me fully off and hold me in front of the pikachu I could now see. My eyes still drifted in and out of focus but I could make some things out well enough.

-------------------------

"He looks like he's barely hanging in there! You found him up at the water hole you said?" I took the little pichu from Roxy's grip, holding him lightly. He felt limp and feverish, his eyes were cracked open and his pupils unfocused. Imagine that, I wouldn't have thought I'd encounter something like this while out patrolling the edge of the colony. "He doesn't smell like any of the pichu we have, he has to be a stray. I don't know of any pikachu around here besides our herd though. This is really odd."

"Maybe a pikachu and another mated one night but didn't stick together? He was likely born from another species around here and got separated from his mother somehow." Furcutter put out his two berries in this exchange.

"That's possible. Oh.. but hey! We're sitting here talking when I need to get him to the others and fast!" Thunder was shocked at himself for not hurry the little one back to the colony when he was in such a condition. "Thanks Roxy, Furcutter! Did you two want to shelter here tonight? You know you're both welcome anytime."

"That's alright sugar, you just run along and get that youngin' some care. You best put some meat on him, poor things thinner than a bellsprout stem!" Roxy smiled playfully with this comment.

Laughing a bit, Thunder thanked them profusely before hurrying off further into the brush towards home. He moved as swiftly as he could while carrying the kid with his mouth. A few of the other patrols glanced at him as he went by, likely they'll have another fill his spot since he was busy doing another task now. He'd just traded out with the evening guy when the local eevee couple had shown up.

The moonlight drifted hazy to the forest floor, casting the world of shadows aside at remote sanctuary's. In and out of the night he seemed to flow. After so long with this shift Thunder had grown accustomed to the pale light. He almost preferred it to the sun these days. At least night time held no false securities. Just because you can see better in the day many relaxed more, letting their guard drop. In the light of the suns jealous impostor, there was no such thing. Only bright enough to dimly make your way, always dark enough for every twisting shadow to warrant attention.

The thick brush that surrounded the hill and meadow where the colony was located came into view finally. The meadow we live in was at least a few and a couple oaks in size. The hill was several raichu tails in height and then some. Nestled along the north side we had made our burrows into the side of it. Many little dens honey combed the grassy knoll. Thick sticker bushes surrounded most of the meadow, providing a natural protective wall. Some of the elders had planted them around the edges to fill the gaps even. Our home was an older one compared to most. Many herds move around forming new colonies in other locations but we had lived here comfortably for some time now, long since before I was a pichu and my parents pikachu. Cirrus and Nimbus, twin Pikachu that acted as caretakers and watchers for the young in the afternoon, saw me springing into the meadow and hopped up from their fruit and came to me quickly.

"Oh my Thunder! Did a pichu get out this time of the night? We just put them to sleep though, I was sure they were all there." Nimbus, the softer toned of the two gasped in worry at the sight of the weakened child. She took him from me and started to inspect him over. I could see her eye's holding a sense of grim focus when gazing at the critical youth.

I caught my breath a bit before trying to answer. While not winded to badly or anything, I was breathing a bit heavily from the strain of carry his weight with my neck while moving quickly. "Roxy and Furcutter just came by with him. They said they'd found him at the water hole." I dusted some of the debris and dirt my short trip had accumulated upon my form.

"The water hole?! We didn't lose any there today though. I counted thrice even." Cirrus had grown anxious at the thought of having failed to keep track of her charges when they'd had taken them to soak in the water a bit earlier in the day. It's good to get some of the oils and grime out of the pichu's fur once in awhile, aside from the normal cleaning that they receive daily anyway.

"He's not one of ours Cirrus." Nimbus was done taking the damage into account and was inspecting the youth a little closer. "He smells like this forest but aside from Thunder I don't smell any other pikachu scents on him. You can't wash that away no matter how long you swim for."

Cirrus leaned down and smelled the lad a little herself, "A lone pichu wandering around out there? Who'd be so negligent with their offspring like that? That's downright wrong!" Thunder could already see her protective nature kicking in.

'Whoever left the kid out there better hope these two never find out about them' Thunder thought with slight amusement.

"Thank you for your speed Thunder. I'll take him to Skye right away." Nimbus turned and started to go after giving him a small bow and a gracious look.

Rubbing the back of his head with a paw Thunder blushed a bit at her gratitude.

"Well, what're you still doing here for?" Cirrus popped into my view blocking Nimbus's retreating form from sight.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Thunder was confused, caught flat footed, and not knowing what she expected. The moon to her back, face cast in shadows, upright ears like horns made her look like some kind of demon before Thunder. He feared the wrath she might bring down upon him. He knew all to well what Cirrus was capable of.

"You have a post to cover don't you? You delivered the kid just fine now get back out there and keep protecting the territory." She huffed a bit in exasperation.

"Ah... right.." Thunders ears slumped down as he turned and started to head back to his appointed rounds. He'd been hoping to be free of duties tonight after this encounter. At least it wasn't something worse, 'I was sure she'd bring up the berries I snuck the other night with a posture like that.'

Cirrus watched him go paws on her hips. "Hmph, can't give these guys an inch. So lazy." She turned and continued after her sister once Thunder had passed through the sticker bush barrier, disapearing into the night just as quickly as he had come.

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Warmth seemed to emanate on every side of me, a welcomed change from the night of cold that I had endured just before this. I was starting to get frustrated with all the feeling and passively letting things come and go. I had energy now, somewhat, I wasn't going to sit idly by anymore. Even just moving, nodding, doing anything would satisfy me after the continued subjectification I had been going through. I don't know why I felt so agitated, I just did. I had to do something about it, anything. Odd way to wake up really, I don't ever recall waking up this angry before.

Opening my eyes I started to sit myself up. It wasn't that hard but I could definitely feel the soreness in my muscles. I tried my best to suppress the surge of emotions I felt at seeing my yellow furred feet. Tears came down all the same, my frustration, anger, and sadness culminating to a climax. To my credit I didn't make any noise despite the liquid now dripping from my face. Finally getting to my hunches I took a better look at my surroundings, fully expecting to see a typical den. I wasn't disappointed.

The room was dimly lit by light leaking in from the front of the burrow. The soft glow crept along the earthen walls, casting small shadow's of various roots sticking out here and there a bit. Some looked to have been gnawed on. The floor was covered in dry grass and other hay like heat insulating plants that pokemon use to keep warm. I wasn't alone either. Around me were two female pikachu, likely some of this colonies caretakers. They were settled on either side of where I had been, trying to warm me up I guessed. Well, it had worked wonders, for that I was grateful to them.

The weak tired part of me wanted to lie back down and rest more in here, but I had to know more. To see what I was up against, or at least what I had bumbled into. I began to make my way across the room. Not an easy task when you're trying to use another things body while additionally aiming to not wake up two hyper sensitive hearing mouse type pokemon. An even slow pace was the key to victory here.

For the first time, and not the last I'm more than sure, I cursed that creature I had met. How quickly a good day could go bad. Now that my health wasn't an immediate problem and the shock had subsided somewhat I recalled the encounter clearly. 'I'll have to make my way back there, can only hope she'll still be there and be willing to undo this. It may take some time since I can't imagine a pichu making his way through a terrain where he's at the bottom of the food chain. Even if it's me.'

At this point, the thought of trying to get one of the elders here to... 'no not elders. I know I'm older than them, despite my current form.. I mean stronger pokemon then I', to help me out. Convincing them of what had happened to me. That sent me down a spiral of embarrassment however, I couldn't stand the thought of anyone knowing what had transpired with me ending up like this. Sparks danced around the room at this. I felt a shock of pain lance through me and I fell over in mid step. A high pitched cry escaped my mouth leaving me all the more embarrassed at having heard what could only be my voice.

I could hear the two pikachu moving about a little behind me, waking up after my loss of control. I didn't realize it was so difficult for a pokemon to control their abilities like this, It was a real eye opener. Like a human child being born with full adult strength and being forced to learn through painful trail and error how to control it. I could feel the electric sacs in my face, barely, but couldn't really focus on them. You know you have your leg and can move it but try as you might you don't seem to be able to send it the right signals for it to do anything. All this new and bizarre stuff I had to deal with finally put my frustration to it's limit and I broke down. I lay there crying ignoring all that was around me. Just the act of crying like this made me even more frustrated than before. I haven't cried like this since I broke my arm falling out of a tree at eight. The last thing I wanted was to be face down in some dirt crying in this situation but I couldn't control myself at all. The complete loss of control over my feelings, something we all grow accustomed to and take for granted once we're older, was absolutely awful.

Finally I felt a pair of arms pick me up and a hand start stroking me gently. It calmed me down and I stopped crying as much but I still couldn't stop it completely. The tears matted the fur under my eyes leaving my lower face wet. Even this difference, compared to my tears leaving kind of slaty trails but otherwise drying fairly quickly, from what I was used to impacted me all the more how far gone I was.

"There there little guy you're alright now." One of them said with a rather soft voice. She was the one hugging me and rubbing my back.

"Yep, you're safe and sound now." I looked blearily through the water at the other who was giving me a wide friendly grin. I never would have imagined a pikachu face looking so big before. She scuffed my tears away a bit and stood back on her haunches crossing her arms.

After I had calmed down a bit, and regained myself so to speak. The one holding me set me down to stand on my own again. I was a little shaky from soreness still but I managed to keep upright. It was an odd sort of thing to balance as a pichu, having a head as big as your torso. She moved to the front of me with whom I think was her identical twin and smiled at me. Wait... how'd I know they were twins? All pokemon look the exact same don't they? I didn't figure it out but somehow the pichu in me could tell. "My name is Nimbus and this is my sister-"

"Cirrus is the name kiddo!" Cirrus stated excited, puffing up a bit at her introduction. All I could do was stare at them a bit in silence. The silence hung in the air for a second when finally Cirrus seemed to get impatient and tapped her foot to show as much. "Well? Are you going to introduce yourself or what sport?"

With a blush some sparks flew from my face. I had done it again and stayed silent despite the obviously requested reply.

"Oh Cirrus, that wasn't very nice. He's had a rough night and just woke up. You can't be expecting him to be able to keep up with you like that." Nimbus chided her sister for her attitude.

"Ya ya, I know. Sorry about that, I'm not much of a morning person you know." She rubbed the back of her head and shuffled her foot on the ground a bit. I couldn't help but smile a bit at this earnest expression. "So, do you have a name? We'd love to know it if you could share it with us." Once again she was all smiles and leaning towards me a bit.

"Oh, my name..." My voice was so high pitched it made me want to cry all over again. I managed to calm myself down, saying it was just the body I was in and there was nothing wrong with it. "My name is -" and I tried to say it, 'My name is Jek', but nothing came out. I tried again, opening my mouth and trying to force the sound I knew was my name past it. Nothing but air being forced from my throat was the result.

They looked at me oddly as I tried to force my name out. After a few attempts I finally gave up. The only reason for this that I can think of is that pokemon language likely uses meanings and idea's for their names and such. Where as humans, that whole idea of meaning and idea behind a name had long since passed us. They may have meanings language wise, but it is not as though your parents tell you what they were at any point in time. 'Your name is James son, it means; The one Bull', 'Annie, your name stands for the Flower under sun'. How was I supposed to know what Jek meant? If anything at all actually. It could just have sounded nice to my parents and so they wanted to call me that. Without a meaning I couldn't say it. My cheeks sparked a bit but my disappointment wasn't enough to cause any real damage to me or my surroundings. I just stood there looking dejected a bit before telling them, "I don't know." I don't know my name in pokemon so it was a half truth at least.

"Oh, that's terrible." Nimbus looked at me with great concern, "Do you remember anything before your fall into the water hole?"

'Oh, sure I do. I was a human and some crazy pool of fur decided to have some fun with me. I can take you a couple hundred miles from here to see my home if you like, maybe meet our pet growlithe that would like to have us for dinner.' Ya, that'd go over well. I really didn't want anyone to look at me knowing what was going on, what had happened to me. I've never been very good at handling embarrassment. This would kill me, I just knew it. So with a heavy heart I asked in somewhat genuine surprise, "Water hole? I was in the water?" I felt guilty lying like this to these obviously nice and caring pikachu but I didn't feel I had many other options I was willing to take. I really am a coward.

"Oh dear..." Nimbus glanced at her sister and they shared a look. When they looked back at me I felt a sense of unease. Like they had come to a decision to take me under there wing. The pichu in me knew this meant care, food, protection, and all those other good things, but I was aghast because I had no desire to be mothered again after the first time. Once in a lifetime is enough.

"Well don't you worry about a thing ya'hear? You're alright now and hopefully you'll recover your memory after a time. I bet you're hungry after all that. How's about me and you go forage up some grub outside?" She asked me this but no sooner had she finished she had scooped me up and was bounding out of the burrow.

"I'm going to go talk to Skye for a bit, meet up with me there when you're done sister!" Came Nimbus's louder but still serene voice from the hole we had just escaped. My eyes were blinded by the morning light taking a moment to adjust to the sight before me. At least eight dozen Pikachu and their various evolved forms resided in this meadow and on it's hill. And that was just what I could see out here. This colony is huge!

END Chapter 2 - Delirious and Realization

Parting Author Note: I realize it's rather over done to focus on Pikachu and such, but I do plan to write several stories along these lines and the others will feature different species. For now however, I need to get these rodents out of my system so to speak.

Yee Haw!


	3. Greetings and Meetings

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: I have the entire story laid out already, just filling in the details so to speak. I'm doing this as a bit of a challenge to myself. I want to write a complete story within' a month. Towards the end I may extend that time a bit in order to write in some none plot dependent parts, just character interplay. We'll see how much I'm still loving these characters after oh so many thousands of words. Hahah...

In case some of you are worried about it; No, Jek will not remain a pichu. I find those stories where the character remains a pichu for what seems like indefinitely to be extremely tiresome. There is a reason he started as a pichu rather than a pikachu, so it's not a random twist of my 'quill' so to speak. It'll likely be a few chapters from now. The range I have planned for this story is at least 100k words. So his time in the beginning like this will be a fairly small portion of the total.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 3 - Greetings and Meetings

I was glad to have a moment to sit after the morning activities. Cirrus felt the need to drag me around to all the different groups of pichu and introduce me as Stratus. I guess she felt I was to be a little brother to her from here on and thus I'd have to endure the same cloud style name as she and Nimbus did. Each group was more than excited to see a new comer. All of them bombarding me with questions without pause. I just gave them a somewhat lopsided smile and tried to answer what I could but was mostly left dazed and confused. Each time Cirrus had to pry me up and away from them.

I felt happy to be around so many playmates, I guess is what you'd say, but knew it was only the instinctual part of me. It wanted to play with them and gain better control of my abilities through such exercise. I didn't feel ready for that sort of thing yet. Nor like I wanted to do anything of the sort at all, ever. It'd be a good idea though, giving me more practice I knew I'd need if I was ever to become less dependent.

After the whirlwind of introductions and greetings, I was sitting with Cirrus under the tree's shade. Said plant being an extremely large apple tree they had growing in the center of their little knoll. At a glance you could see nests and bunks placed all along it's branches. Grips for climbing it easily had even been etched into some parts of it's thick bark. How an apple tree managed to even get close to half that size let alone this mammoth I haven't a clue. My best guess would be a whole lot of plant type pokemon giving it some serious green thumb love at some point, but that remains a theory.

A leaf filled with various nuts and berries lay in front of me. I knew none of them were edible for humans and so I sat paralyzed, despite my hunger. My mind screamed poison while my nose and gut told me to take my fill. I was stuck between worlds, creating a unique kind of torture I have not yet been privy to until now.

Cirrus looked up from her apple to see me staring at the bounty with a mix of longing and abject horror. "What's wrong Stratus?"

Looking at her, I really couldn't come up with a good answer that wouldn't be odd. I was in a pichu body, ears, tail, electricity and all. It stands to reason I'd have their digestive system. All the same though, it was hard forcing myself to eat one of the nuts. Logic doesn't really phase fear very much. Taking a few exploratory chews, I found that I had indeed not keeled over or started to feel sick. It was rather tasty really. My stomach chose this time to make it demands known and I was woe to not give in to it.

"There you go! I guess you were just having a stomach cramp for a second there eh?" She cheered at my eagerness to fight the hunger back. "Oh, I hope you don't mind that I called you Stratus like that. I know it was outa the blue and all but it's not like we could all just keep calling you the water kid or the like, right?" She continued to eat her apple after this, monitoring my progress between bites. When I didn't say anything even between pauses she asked, "You're not mad at me are you?" She looked very clearly concerned now, her apple core set aside.

"Ah, no I'm not upset." I managed to say this after downing a poorly chewed mouthful that almost choked me. I just felt bad at her obvious concern. I guess I had done it again, I always wondered how being silent could distress people so badly. When people mention words that don't need to be spoken for a person to hear them, I obviously had no access to such things.

"You're so quiet, you need to talk more you know? It's just not healthy let me tell you." She stood from her resting place and looked off to the side. She seemed a bit flushed at having been worried about an imagined fault on her part.

"I'm sorry Cirrus." I meant it to. I didn't mean to cause her any undo stress. On a sweeter note, literally; the berries were absolutely fantastic! It may have just been the hunger, or how I had been eating twigs, roots and pine cones mostly for the last couple days(can't eat berries 24/7 when you're a human. You need roughage... enough said), but they were like candy to me. Even better actually, I'm sure they're very healthy for me in this form so it's like eating a nutritional desert! Like being in candy land with no worries or problems coming from going crazy there.

"Hoy there Cirrus!" A fairly deep voice called out from the tree. Deeper than the other voices that I had encountered as of late anyway. Cirrus put her hand to her forehead and gave a deep withdrawn sigh.

Standing, I looked up to where the call had emanated towards us. A raichu? His coloration made him hard to spot at first amongst the many discolored leaves that filled the tree as a collage of fall. I could just make out a brown-orange mass of fur waving from a very high branch.

Suddenly it was blurring down the trunk towards us, going so fast he'll collide with us! I began to scramble away and ended up stumbling a few feet over my mostly eaten 'tray' of food. I needn't have been so worried though, the raichu stopped just as suddenly as he had sped up, a light puffy cloud of dust floated from where his feet decided to steady themselves.

"Ooh, look what you did now! Scared a pichu with your little display there. Why can't you act like a normal raichu for once?" Cirrus helped me to my feet and dusted me off a bit. I was still dazed from this recent flight or fight incident and the euphoria it left me with.

"Ah the little guy's fine, ain'tcha dude?" The much larger electric mouse looked at me with a grin and patted me on the head a bit. Before I could answer one way or another his attention was already back to Cirrus and talking without missing a beat, "You don't really have to watch the pichu's till noon don'tcha? We should head over to the cliffs. Shock found a gummi the other day, there's no way we can pass that up!"

A gummi.. out in the middle of no where? That didn't sound quite right. I mean... I thought they were mixed by trainers and coordinators right? They don't.. occur naturally do they? Though I guess I never really trekked around the outskirts of civilization keeping an eye out for such things. I'm always looking for what moves across the ground, not what lies on it. Or am I getting them mixed up with pokeblocks? Arn't they the same? For once, I wished I had cared enough to delve into more information on the practices of trainers.

"What was Shock doing at the cliffs?! That's fearow territory, did you know he was going out there like that yesterday Swift?" Cirrus's voice had taken a turn for the worst. With her hands on her hips and a scowl darkening her face, I truly felt sorry for the raichu. Even I was taken aback by this complete shift of attitude from her.

"Ah, well... he was just..." Poor Swift had taken a step back and was trying feebly to come up with an answer that didn't end up with him being on the receiving end of her ire.

"Just what Swift? Hmm? You didn't go with him did you?" Cirrus pressed the attack getting in closer to the larger and likely stronger pokemon.

"No! I.. well.. I mean... I didn't want him to get hurt or anything you know-"

"I can't believe you!" Cirrus threw her hands in the air and electricity began to emanate from her face slightly. "To think a raichu, one of the warriors and protectors of all the herd would be so foolish! Why Raiden ever gave you that thunder-stone I'll never know." She gave an exasperated shake of her head at this thought, Swift and I had thought this the end of it but we were wrong. "Shock only evolved into a pikachu a lunar cycle ago! What were you thinking letting him go to such a dangerous place? You went with him even though... weren't you supposed to get the rawst berries from the slopes? Got routed by some mankey's indeed."

I'm sure this would be the moment in Swift's life where he wished he could undo a single mistake made. "Come on Cirrus! It's good to break routine once in awhile, break free and do something wild. That's what you used to say isn't it?" Swift looked almost to tears after the verbal beating he'd just endured.

"When we were children, yes. We're adults now Swift. We need to accept our responsibilities to the herd. That's what herds do. We band together in a united effort to survive. We can't play games like we used to, everyone's survival relies on each of us doing what we need to." Cirrus's wise reply shocked me, I hadn't thought I'd hear this sort of thing from the energetic mouse. I really haven't known her longer than the morning, but I could tell this was a rare moment

The raichu shuffled his feet a bit, looking at the ground. "I know.. It's just," he looked back up with a rather depressed expression, "I miss those days sometimes you know? Being carefree, not having to worry about some band of growlithe coming from the mountain, or preparing for possible droughts, constantly searching for an attack that never comes..."

"I know it can be tough, but we have to do this. It's how we've survived so long here. We at least have some free time like this. Herd-less pokemon are always on guard, never at peace. I don't want to imagine a life constantly waiting for the fangs to entrap you throat." She rubbed said body part a bit after saying this, looking disturbed at the prospect.

"Ya ya," he gave out a great sigh and spared me a glance, "Take my advice little dude, don't grow up."

"Hey! Don't go saying stuff like that to Stratus. You want to grow up to be a big strong pikachu right?" She graced me with a brilliant smile to which I nodded my head vigorously in agreement. The sooner the better. She laughed at my reaction and continued on, "Don't go looking so enthusiastic about it now, ya hear? You should enjoy your childhood while you have it at least." Oh I did. Trust me, I enjoyed it. This? Not so much so.

"Stratus huh? I don't think I've heard that name yet." Swift rubbed his chin, adopting a semi thoughtful look.

"Yes, he is new, but don't go changing the subject like that now." Cirrus grabbed the raichu's chest fur and pulled him a bit closer to herself, "Now I'm gonna be nice and not tell the elders about you and Shock's little escapade the other day. However, I expect you to get those rawst berries today without fail. You slept in this morning so you'll have to make it quick if you're going to get back before nightfall. So help me in you're even one berry short I'll..." She finished off with a slight growl. Her eyes had gone slanted a bit and her mouth was pulled back revealing her canine a bit past her bottom lip. She immediately took up the slot of 'Most menacing Pikachu' in my mind upon seeing this, no contest. She released her hold on him and let him stumble back away from her.

"Okay okay! Sheesh... you're always so difficult." Swift unruffled his fur a bit then turned to go with a parting comment over his shoulder, "You should be more like your sister. No one'll want pichu with a growlithe like you." An after image was all that was left after he'd finished his parting jibe, said after image was thunder-shocked and dispersed just as promptly as it had been summoned.

"Ooh, that boy!" Her face was flushed with obvious agitation and it took her a moment to control her huffing gasps for air. "I don't remind you of a growlithe do I?"

Having no desire to end up on her list of ire for the day I answered very quickly with a shake of my head and, "Not a growlithe at all! You're much too nice to be one of them!"

That did the trick thankfully. She brightened right up and ruffled my hair a bit, they seem to do that a lot to me. I made a mental note to never do this to a child again. "Thanks kiddo." She spared a glance to the long since up heaved food I'd been working on prior to the encounter, "I suppose you've had your fill for now right? Normally I'd say a little dirt don't hurt, but you trampled it pretty good there."

"Yes, thank you for the food Cirrus. I'm sorry that I ruined the last of it." I felt a bit despondent looking at the crushed food. It had been so good, such a waste.

"Oh it's not your fault Stratus,Swift startles people like that all the time. That ruffian never thinks ahead, I swear.." She gave a small sigh before shaking the encounter off and taking my hand to drag me off to the thickest side of sticker bushes in the meadow. "You heard Nimbus earlier. We've settled up here, time to go and meet Skye."

I was almost thankful to leave the shade and enter once more into the sun. It may have been nice to be in the shadows for awhile, but autumn isn't the warmest time of the year. I had started to feel a chill as I sat there with the light breeze playing with my fur. Speaking of fur, feeling thick hair covering your body moving about was very disquienting. I felt like my skin was moving every which way. Not a horrible feeling overall, just another new sensation I had to cope with now. I can only assume she had me in the shade in case I was still feeling faint.

I trotted along, keeping in step with her. Looking around I could see various groups of the electric mice going about their business. Some pichu were playing in a patch of wildflowers off to ones side. A few pikachu couples were sunbathing a bit further away from the children. I could see one raichu addressing several pikachu at the side opposite from me. Seemed like a patrol or training exercise of some sort from the way they were standing at attention.

"Who's Skye?" I figured it'd be an elder raichu, if what I've heard mentioned about their hierarchy coincided at all. It didn't hurt to ask though, rather than finding out on the spot.

"Skye is Raiden's mate. Basically the right hand ma'am to the respected head of our herd." She let go of my hand when we had reached the seemingly impassable wall of thorns. The giant bush of stickers rose up from all sides, filling my vision with their thick brown stems and each thorn promising me grave pain should I choose to foolishly navigate its depths.

"We're not.. going through that are we?" I was a bit unnerved at the prospect of such a trip. Small size and fur aside, it would be a miserable trip. Regardless of any benefiting factors. Well, unless you were a rock pokemon maybe. Or a ghost type pokemon... or a plant type... okay, so there would be a number of benefiting factors to take into consideration. The point is I had none of them.

Giving off a girlish giggle, Cirrus shook her head, "Oh don't be silly. Our circle is in there for a reason. It's meant to be nigh impenetrable." She moved along the side of the thorn bushes a bit until she stopped and motioned me over.

'Impenetrable? It's just some bushes... a well placed flame attack and it'd be brush.' Though, I guess it's not like fire types really live in forests, and more so go around flame-throwing everything in sight like they wanted everyone in range to notice them and their commotion.

Taking the few steps needed to close our distance I saw she was pointing at a small dug out tunnel. I never would have thought pokemon clever enough to conceive something like this. The more I thought on it the more advanced and well organized this group seemed to be. While one might think it nigh unlikely or improbable; I simply saw it as a rare occurrence. More than likely this Raiden had once been a trainers pokemon. When the trainers career ended or he was released from their custody for variously different and possible reasons, he found his way into this herd of pikachu. He then lent his knowledge and advanced combative and defensive tactics to them. Many advanced trainers are known to teach their main pokemon strategy and planning.

She motioned I should go in first. After poking my head in I started to go along on all fours. It took me a second to realize it but I was perhaps appreciating this body for the first time. It was much easier to navigate tiny crawl spaces as a rodent. Between the comfortable movement to the darkness sensitive eyesight, they had it made comparatively. Not to mention the handy dandy ready for use flash light on their faces. This thought only led me to a pang of sadness since the last time I'd done this as human had naught but been the day right before this whole fiasco.

The warmth and relative safety the raichu sized tunnel offered me was overwhelming. The warm hearth incubated heat around me and the well used path filled my sense of smell with chu's of every variety. My eyes even began to go half lidded, my body wishing to rest inside this place. I likely would have to if Cirrus didn't keep nipping at my tail a bit, pressing me onwards.

After at least half the length the meadow had been, I started to see some light coming in at the end. I paused at the mouth of the tunnel for a second. It felt like I was at the edge of a threshold and I wasn't sure I wanted to take that last step and enter. The choice was taken from me however as Cirrus bumped me up and out of the tunnel with her head, "I'm right behind ya, don't go thinking you need to wait up for me." She, of course, completely misunderstood my hesitation.

END Chapter 3 - Greetings and Meetings

Parting Author Note: The work week has started. Probably be a few days before the next chapter.

Yee haw!


	4. Acceptance and Settling

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Due to unusual circumstances, I was able to write a chapter sooner than expected despite my work week. Yay!

Some of you may have noticed that I didn't describe appearances as of yet for the most part. In the first chapter I didn't describe the main character's looks for a reason to be revealed at the end. As for the pokemon, they all look identical (to us anyway; pokemon can see the differences and tell each other apart just fine. Likely it has to do with their unique ability to control powers and sensitive senses. Like the sound of a heart beat or smell that they put off. Unless they're a shiny with different coloration they all look the same. So if you want to know what I'm talking about looks like, Google image search it). So unless they have a scar or a coloration difference in their fur, I don't feel the need to describe them really. It's unlikely that you don't know what one looks like if you're reading this story anyway, I'm sure.

Thank you to all whom have left me reviews thus far, I truly appreciate the energy from them. It's really helping me stay focused and interested in writing this out as quickly as possible. To all those lurkers whom have been reading this as well, I hope you have enjoyed it thus far. More to come folks!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 4 - Acceptance and Settling

My eye's quickly adjusted to the dim light as I was forced into the opening. Sitting atop Cirrus's head as she came out of the tunnel, I could clearly see the chopped out core of the thorn bush. The edges had been clipped back to make a domed space, wider than it was high. All along the edges several 'tunnels' had been made into the plant and looped around and into themselves. Why they had done this was fairly obvious as the entire bush was laden with juicy, pink berries. From what I could tell, they were Pecha berries, though the shape of them was a little odd. It could have just been the climate and environment affecting them slightly, but more than likely they had spliced with another berry or plant to create this effect. Anyone ever heard of a pear apple? They exist.

Some parts were sparser than the rest, having been picked more, but there were plenty of ripe and ripening fruit throughout the area. I could tell from how my vision was filled with the pinkish delights. If these were all pecha, it would make sense to me why all the pikachu around here were extra cutesy. I remember my brother complaining about only ever getting pink types of pokeblocks doing whatever it is they do to get those. Dad had told him to stop using Pecha berries, to which he said he wanted to try and make them immune to poison effects. Dad laughed for a long time at hearing this, apparently it was a rather silly attempt to make. No matter how many berries or berry products you fed a pokemon, it's effects won't 'rub off' onto them. Regardless of that, seeing this I didn't really feel much worry of ever getting poisoned while here at least. Plenty of antidotes on hand here.

Several hay sleeping mats had been formed on the dome floor as well. Small brown and yellow beds set in an array around the tunnel. Likely for the elders that reside here as well as possible guests that may come to visit. A show of wealth to outsiders and also a way to dissuade the odd pokemon from snacking between meals so to speak.

I sat there, atop the pikachu's head, simply amazed. This sight... I would never have seen it had this never happened. This is just the first day and I'm already seeing marvels like this! I just... I was completely stunned. 'I've been made privy to what is possibly one of the closest things to a.. to a "farm" managed by pokemon. This is likely one of the greatest pokemon social study discoveries ever made!' At least, it would be if said discovery wasn't just made by a pokemon rather than a soon to be human once more. Time will tell.

A chuckle from below brought me out of thought, "Pretty amazing isn't it? We have our own unmolested supply of fruit almost all year round thanks to this place." Cirrus grabbed me by the sides and lowered me to the thickets floor. Brushing some of the dirt from the tunnel off of me, she gave me light push in the direction I assumed Skye was located. "The meeting circle is just ahead through that tunnel there." I followed her pointed paw to one of the many cleared out parts of the bush. This one was directly in front of us.

'I guess this is the closest pokemon get to a castle. It's gates and red carpet walkway, so to speak, leading straight into the heart of the throne room.' After seeing all this, I really didn't know what to expect. I was completely flabbergasted. I never would have imagined something like this from pokemon. Whether he'd been a trainers main before or not, this Raiden was really on the ball here. My surprise and amazement must have been apparent since several of the pikachu picking some of the fruit that glanced our way all smiled and appeared amused by my tourist like reaction.

"A bit overwhelming isn't it?" Cirrus pat my shoulder as I nodded mutely to her, "We didn't always used to have stuff like this. When Raiden showed up things really took a turn for the better. He's so strong and wise; we immediately started to follow him after he had arrived. Our old leader was more than willing to allow his rise also. Skye was all the happier to let him take over. I hear she'd been wanting to settle down a bit from the head role for awhile when he turned up." Cirrus covered her mouth with her hand and tittered a bit, "Oh yes, if their pichu had been any indication. I still don't think Raiden has figured out how she so quickly entrapped him as she did... not that he's complaining mind you."

I couldn't help but share her smile at this thought. I guess matters of the heart were universal. I could see this sort of thing happening to my brother and couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped with that thought.

"That's the first time I've heard you laugh! Starting to lighten up around here a bit then?" She was practically beaming, as though I'd achieved something amazing and had gained her admiration. I really didn't know what to say to this reaction so I just gave a faint nod after regaining my senses and looked back ahead to our destination.

"Heya Cirrus!" A familiar voice rang out in front of us. A male pikachu walking through the tunnel towards us had called out and waved. We stopped in front of him to exchange greetings. He looked a little groggy. Kinda like when you sleep too much and you feel half asleep for the rest of the day.

"You're up and about early Thunder, what gives?" Cirrus, in her usual frank to the point way, asked without much preamble.

Thunder laughed for a moment and scratched his ear at this, "Well, when I went back to my round last night, they had already gotten Amp to stay a bit longer to take over for me. She'd been wanting to do a nocturnal shift instead of evening for awhile and asked if she could switch with me."

"Oh right. I'd heard she was getting upset about not having much of any time with Fizz." Cirrus nodded at this thought, as if coming to a deep and meaningful realization. "I guess the elders wanted to talk to you about last night then?" That's why his voice seemed so familiar, he was the pikachu that took me from those eevee. I had passed out after he started running but I could still remember his exchange with them vaguely. I guess he slept through what was supposed to be his shift, no wonder he was so dazed looking. I never cared much for sleeping in myself. I gave myself the recommended 6 hours to stay healthy, sometimes less or a little more. I just felt there was always so much to do that I didn't want to waste too much of my time away from the waking world if I didn't need the rest.

Thunder nodded once, "Ya, they did. Only Skye and Lightning are there though. Raiden is out and about doing whatever he does when he wants a moment to himself." That's unfortunate. I really wanted to meet this enigmatic raichu. I'm sure I'll get a chance later on, but I felt impatient about it.

"Oh, that's to bad. I was hoping to introduce Stratus here to him." At this their eyes shifted to me. I felt a bit uncomfortable having the two of them paying me so much direct attention.

"I'm glad to see you came out okay small fry. You looked about as miserable as a drowned charmander." Thunder started to chuckle but it died quickly when he caught sight of Cirrus's glare. Wow, this woman really kept people on a short leash around here. I made a mental note to never get on her bad side or ever do anything as to flag myself to her. "Ah, well ya, I'm glad you recovered just fine. So you're name is Stratus is it?"

"I don't know my name." I was once more aghast. I knew my name but I couldn't say it with these vocal cords. I know it was no fault of theirs but all this constant referencing to my plight was really getting me down.

"We asked him what his name was but he couldn't recall it." Cirrus looked sad as well at this. I can't tell if she was distressed that I had such a problem at all or disappointed that I still hadn't seemingly adopted the name she'd given me.

"Oh... that's too bad." Thunder looked a bit down also, his earlier energy quickly returned however, "Don't sweat it though! I'm sure you'll remember it here before too long you know? Hey, cheer up. Any time you want to practice your electrical attacks you come give me a ring alright? I patrol around in the evening now so anytime in the afternoon I'm open. Don't be a stranger ya hear?" He gave me a wide friendly grin and I found myself thanking him before I realized it.

"If he learns from you he'll likely be throwing his attacks backwards or something." Cirrus held a crooked grin with her jibe. Bathed in the brambles light shade, her current state reminded me of a lounging persian in the shade of a savannah tree, watching it's quary.

"Ya ya, I can't see straight and my attacks veer off to the side. A geodude could throw electricity better than I could, blah blah." Thunder gave his facetious reply, fore paws crossed and face tilted to the side in mock insult. Smirking he shifted his paws to his front and closed them in challenge, "I could still smoke you though slowpoke."

"Hmph, I don't need quick attacks to take you down." Cirrus feigned disinterest, eyes half lidded in front of the other pikachu's show.

Thunder dropped his stance and laughed, he started to walk away from us with a wave behind him, "Try not to let her rub off on ya Stratus. We don't need any more resident naggers."

Cirrus fumed mutely at his retreating form. "Everyone we come across today keeps saying such things about me..."

I started to giggle, but forced it to die in my throat with a slight cough. "It just shows how close you are. Friends always pick on each other like that." This time is was me that patted her on the back.

She looked at me for a second before smiling wistfully back, "I suppose that's true." She motioned that we should continue and so we did. "Boy I'm glad you knew they were just being friendly though. I was starting to worry you'd think me some kind of monster after these visits." I decided, wisely, not to inform her of the 'Most Menacing Pikachu' position she held in my mind. Less said about that the better.

We passed a few more pikachu and a few pichu that waved at us when we finally came to the end. This bush is much larger than I had originally expected. I didn't think it went on this far from when I glanced at it from the knoll. In the new opening sat a large slab of stone. It was just your average gray, nothing special, hunk of mountain. The bigger question is how it managed to get in the middle of a thorn bush, unless said bush grew up and around it at some point.

Two Raichu sat atop the rock and I could see Nimbus there with them. She saw us and motioned for us to join them. I could tell one Raichu was an older female and the other a very young, likely just evolved, male. The young male looked on with a vague expression of boredom and apathy. Likely wishing to be elsewhere but forced to reside at the stone for some reason or another.

The slab was several heads higher than a pichu is. I was left staring at it for a second before shaking my indecisiveness away. I knew pichu were very agile and could leap distances many times their size. It may have been tough for me as a human but with the smaller size and agility I should be capable of this without much effort. So I took a leap of faith, putting all my energy behind the jump... only to have my lower half collide with the solid stone, pitching me face forward onto it. After I stopped sliding, I stood myself up. It didn't really hurt anything but my pride.

"Wow there! Take it a little slower next time Stratus. You're not up and running at full steam just yet." Came Cirrus's reproach at my wonderful display of feline grace.

"Ugh... right." I shook myself a bit before plowing on ahead to the waiting chu's.

"You remembered you're name was Stratus? That's great!" Nimbus was so cheerful at the prospect of my recovering some memory that I nary felt the will to correct her. Cirrus held no qualms however.

"No, I just wasn't going to go around calling him the new kid all day. So I thought Stratus would be a good name to go by if any." Cirrus nodded her head solemnly with this statement, providing us all with a great insight it would seem.

"Oh, I see. Well, hopefully you'll regain some of your memories soon Stratus." Nimbus gave me an apologetic smile, as if to ask for my forgiveness for the hectic morning I'd likely been through with her sister. "Honored elder," she took my hand and guided me to stand in front of the aged female, presenting me to her for inspection, "This is the pichu that was found by Roxy and Furcutter at the water hole."

Looking down at me with eyes that seemed vaster and deeper than any I'd looked into before(She? didn't have deep eyes like these. Her's were entirely unreadable to me, depth or otherwise. Just remembering that pupil-less stare sent shivers down my spine), she addressed Nimbus for a moment, "Oh Nimbus dear, you needn't be so formal all the time. Such a silly girl." She felt very much like a grandma with this exchange. "So you're the poor dear that washed up in our little community. Ho ho ho, you're lucky those nice eevee found you instead of one of the nastier residents that roam this forest." She gave me a deep smile before picking me up and bringing me closer to herself.

I really didn't feel comfortable being lifted like this but knew the social situation was in the range of allowing it. She stared into my eyes for a time, locking my gaze to hers. I wanted to blink but found myself unwilling to. Just as suddenly as she'd lifted me up she was turning me around and picking through my fur, looking at my ears and in them, checking my toes and claws. I felt like a piece of meat being inspected here but I knew she was just making sure I had no immediate health problems that needed to be addressed, that didn't stop the nervous expression from adorning my face though. When finally she decided to set me back down I felt half a step towards having been violated. I just wasn't used to such close and through contact as that had been, personal space having been ignored in this exchange.

"You seem healthy enough to me, just a bit on the skinny side." She poked my ribs a bit at this and gave a soft chuckle, "Nothing a few weeks of berries won't cure."

"You and you're obsession with spoiling the pichu rotten." Interjected the male raichu with a dejected sigh. I can only assume he's Lightning, the one whom Thunder mentioned.

"Oh hush you. I didn't hear you or your siblings complaining none." She dismissed the ridicule with a wave of her hand.

"So.. it's alright then?" Nimbus seemed very excited having heard the woman's conclusion. Cirrus had perked up as well, standing at attention on her haunches.

"Oh of course it's alright Nimbus you poor thing, I would never turn away such a cute tyke." There was the accursed head pat again.

Cirrus and Nimbus cheered at this. It made me feel really good knowing someone was so excited at my continued presence. I felt Skye lean in close to me and whispered, "Just be careful with these two. They'll smother you out before I get my chance if you don't look out." She backed up again laughing at her own joke. The chu's merriment was rather infectious, I found myself smiling madly.

"It's almost noon Nimbus, you head on over to switch out with Amber and Oran. I'm sure they're getting exhausted by now. Stratus here would like to be around his peers and be away from us tiring old folks too I'll bet. Cirrus will be along in a bit, I just need to talk to her for a moment." She paused for a moment before gesturing to Lightning, "Take this lazy bones with you too. He could use a kick start to his less than energetic attitude."

"What!? Oh come on, I'm no good with kids, you know that!" Lightning immediately began to protest at the prospect of watching over a squad of easily excited short attention span youth. I can't blame him.

"Tsk tsk, talking back to your elder like that. You're not so big that I can't still pull you along by your ear boy. Now you go along with Nimbus and learn a thing or two about babysitting. You'll never be a good father if you don't pick up some of the necessary skills."

Looking down dejectedly he began shuffling towards me and Nimbus. I waved goodbye to Cirrus who returned my farewell. The three of us began to make our way out of the thorn fortress.

----------------------------

By the nights end I was completely exhausted. The pichu were nice enough but I was in no way ready for such an assault of rampant youthful energy. After I survived some questioning and enthusiastic greetings I was quickly integrated into the groups activity. It seemed to consist of playing tag. Only there were several pichu that were 'it' at the same time rather than just one, making the game a lot more hectic and random. Electrical attacks seemed to be just as accepted as physical tags were. Though none of the pichu had any skill in using them. After I started I spent pretty much the entire game time I was there being 'it' after getting easily tagged. Trying feebly to run after the others as they darted about was almost a futile task. I don't like to lose, however, so I didn't give up until I had collapsed entirely after attempting to send a desperate shock at a pichu named Terra.

It had the mixed result of shocking myself and hitting Trek who was near Terra taunting another tagged pichu. This was when Nimbus decided I'd had enough and should sit out before I hurt myself. I still felt horribly weak even though she assured me I'd be better after I got my energy back. The whole continued 'not up to par yet' attitude reminded me horribly of all the sympathy and coddling I had received when I broke my arm. I knew they gave me sympathy with the best of intentions, but I hated myself for the weakness. I didn't want people to have to be concerned for me like that. With not much I could do however, I had to just take it in stride and accept that I'll get better with some down time.

Poor Lightning, being a raichu and the son of the heads of the herd, made him the center of much attention from a great number of the pichu. All wanting to pull on his tail or play with his curly ears. He put up an amiable effort to stay in good spirits despite Cirrus laughing at him off to the side. She had showed up to help out soon after my resignation. For the most part, Cirrus and Nimbus seemed to sit by and watch the pichu go about their thing. Once in awhile they'd call out to one of the various children and tell them to be more careful, or go help a pichu that got hurt.

Several pikachu came by at different intervals to visit their child or children depending. It was kind of heart warming to see such a tight-knit community at work. Sure, my own country folk had been close, but we lived acres apart. The city was more closely populated, but far more impersonal from what I observed on my occasional visits.

After all the pichu had been gotten by their parents(or parent in the case of one of the adults being busy with a task that time in the evening) when night started to fall we started to leave ourselves. Not that it was a secluded area, just another patch of the meadow that seemed to be reserved for young at play. Lightning took off in a hurry, to do whatever he does at night, bidding us farewell.

Cirrus and Nimbus took me to the tree where a large group of the chu's had gathered for dinner. A hearty feast had been laid out on the grass waiting to fill hungry stomachs. Terra from earlier came and joined us at our spot. Her mother was a friend of Nimbus's it seemed and was avidly talking to her about the upcoming harvest moon a way's from us. I hadn't seen them arrive, just Terra jumping up suddenly near me. I guess some of the plants they have growing in their thorny farm only blossom on that night so they made a holiday of it. This has to be of Raiden's design. I couldn't imagine survival prone pokemon to have the concept of a holiday in mind normally. Cirrus was just within' sight of me from my secluded position. She just picked at the grass a bit half paying attention to the two nattering females, nodding her head once in awhile when asked something of little import to her.

The night sky shown with all the intensity of life and wonder you can never see in the city. Growing up in the country, this was a sight I was used to, and always appreciated seeing it. I truly felt at home under the blanket of stars above. The few times I visited major cities for various reasons, all I saw wasn't even a tenth of the splendor I'm used to. It always made me feel truly sick and as though I was in unwelcoming territory. Each constellation gazed down from above, filling us all with dreams and setting a twinkle of mirth in our hearts.

Terra was busy telling me about all the best play area's and about the different games to be played. I tried my best to keep up with her but was hopelessly lost when she started going into a game about catching leaves falling from tree's. Which leaves were worth more points by size and color and how you had to avoid the disrupter's. Disrupter's being pichu chosen at the beginning who gain points by stopping others from scoring.

I was barely able to keep my eyes open by the time Nimbus was carrying me to the den she and her sister shared. I had taken a nap in the afternoon after the game of tag but still felt so tired. Usually I don't have a problem staying awake for long periods of time regardless of the situation I was in, so this was a bit of a surprise to me. I don't really remember turning in for the night, but I realized I was drifting in a dream in the end regardless.

END Chapter 4 - Acceptance and Settling

Parting Author Note: I noticed my last few had only been about 4k and under. Disappointing compared to the first chapter which was at 7k. I don't want my chapter sizes to begin degrading. 5-6k a chapter is my target range. I'll try to start hitting that mark. Also, pear apples really do exist... they're weird little fruit let me tell you. o_O

Those of you whom have noticed some human phrases in the pokemon speech, it isn't me slipping up. I'm not perpetuating the equivalent of a Medieval guy saying "E = MC(squared)" in a fantasy novel. There's a reason behind it, though you won't know for a few stories from now at least(assuming you keep reading my works). Sorry for the teaser, just wanted too make sure you know I wasn't goofing up here.

Yee haw!


	5. Passing and Family

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Another day, another installment. I put about 8 hours a day into writing. I'm having trouble sleeping I want so badly to get these idea's out. Basically, I've been accosted by some kind of muse and their spouse didn't take to kindly to this affair and so cursed me. I'm having a mixed blessing of inspiration combined with a delirious need to fulfill it. Dang them. It doesn't help that I'm having a lot of fun doing it. So, more to come! Stay tuned if you're enjoying it. If you're not... I'm surprised you read this.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 5 - Passing and Family

The next day passed faster than the first, no surprises or startling newcomers. I was a little better at the game of tag, though I still spent most of my time chasing after the others. I still had to stop before the rest of them but was glad I was in better shape than the day before. Whenever I had managed to tag someone Trek was sure to make a beeline for me as soon as he got tagged. I think he was still upset about getting hit in the back the other day. After a time they split into different groups to lay in the sun a bit. Terra dragged me off to meet her core group of friends.

Most of them were happy to have the newcomer hanging with them but a couple were obviously upset at my intrusion. Some people(pokemon too I guess) are just surly like that. I didn't take their agitation to heart nor their jibes at my poor tagging skills. Unsurprisingly Trek was one of them to hand me commentary like this. Terra, ever the sweetheart, jumped to my aid and shushed them with some sharp words. Unneeded but I appreciated it all the same. I guess she felt responsible for my experience with the group since she'd brought me over to it. They left me alone after that encounter and Terra gave me a sign of success.

The days mostly blurred together for me. The only break in the routine was on the third day when Nimbus decided I needed some personal hygiene maintenance. She did it after I retired early once more from the activities with the other pichu. That had been both unsettling and embarrassing to say the least. It had felt good, but I ended up shocking us both a couple times during the procedure.

I found it hard to keep track of time. A days morning, afternoon, night categories were easy to keep in mind, but the idea of yesterday slowly started to escape me. There was no break in the monotony until maybe a week, more or less, since I had shown up. They were making the trip to the water hole today. The pichu were chatting excitably about it amongst themselves. Terra was talking my ear off about the different water games they got to play when they go to the pond. Instead of the smaller groups they normally had us in, they had five parent pikachu watching all of us for awhile. The main caretakers were going over the details, as they did every week from what I gathered, further away from us.

They were hesitant to take me it seemed, they were worried that water might awaken some kind of dormant trauma in me upon sight. Cirrus wouldn't hear it though, She asked if I had any aversion to water and when I gave my negative she picked me up and marched me to a spot just outside the meadow. Some of the other pichu watchers, from different groups and shifts, followed us, and became antsy upon seeing her putting me in front of what I figured was their local water supply.

They have a well it looked like, which is where they probably get water from normally. I say well but it was just a pit filled with water really. That may be a well I suppose, but I'm used to thinking of deep stone circles that you throw coins into when I hear the word well. It's not a good idea to bath where you drink though. At least the water hole was much larger and the underground spring that fed it much quicker in suppling fresh water to remove the old. Unlike their drinking wells much slower pace of refreshing the water supply. Seeing this and having heard the whole 'trauma' and 'fear' they were considering, I now understood why I had such a berry heavy diet compared to the other pichu. To make up for my lack of drinking water intake.

Looking into it, I realized this was the first time I had seen myself like this. It's not as though they have bathrooms with mirrors that you use every morning. I could see a chubby and cute, I admitted begrudgingly, pichu face staring back at me. It's eyes seemed a little less vibrant though than the other pichu that I play with each day. I really was scrawny too. I lacked a lot of the baby fat the others held on their bones. I could tell that much now that I saw my reflection rather than just looking down at myself. I guess that shows how unhealthy I really was compared to my 'peers'. 'Does this make me the runt?' Seems like I'll always be the runt no matter what situation I'm in.

Cirrus fidgeted a bit while I stood motionless in front of the well, gazing into it's softly rippling surface. Perhaps, she feared she'd made a mistake with her chosen course. I looked back at them and saw them all intently watching me. Realizing they were waiting for a verdict I stuttered out a, "This is pretty neat." Cirrus let out the breath she'd been holding, turned to the others, and let them have a piece of her mind for under estimating her little brother. Nimbus did her best to calm her sister down before she caused to much of a scene. So it was that I would make the journey with them.

"So this is your first time to the water hole right?" Terra's chirpy voice popped up next to me. The energetic youth reminded me of a miniature Cirrus at times.

Shaking my head a bit I informed her of my unusual technicality, "They found me in the water hole, so I have been there before. At least physically. I was unconscious though and I haven't been in the water that I remember so yes.. sorta." She seemed to go into deep thought on this. I doubt she'd had to comprehend double negatives or the like such as this much yet.

"Well, that's fine then I guess. We'll just call this your first time to the water hole and leave it at that." She nodded to herself and I was once again reminded of my more active caretaker. "Do you like to swim Stratus?"

"I can't say I've swam like this before, so I'm not sure really." I was once again filled with guilt at having to use such misleading words. Not really a lie, but not very honest either.

"You're memories are that fuzzy huh? No wonder you're always tripping around. I bet your heads filled with venomoths." This jibe was from none other than my self appointed rival, and all around annoyance, Trek. It was hard to really get angry at his words when I was actually a sixteen year old with full awareness of what had actually happened to me though(all but maybe some of the finer details such as 'how' and by 'who', anyway. You know, the ones of little importance at all). So I didn't really take his words seriously nor even react to them for the most part. It was like a gnat buzzing around my ear and trying to shoo it away would make it worse.

I think my seeming indifference annoyed him the most. From what I could tell, Trek was the strongest and most influential in the group. Aside from Terra maybe. She's his younger sister I found out the other day. Younger meaning simply that she'd come out later than him. So really, just a minute or so apart. Not that this fact fazed him any.

Terra stuck her tongue out at him but otherwise didn't give him a reply. Instead she kept walking alongside me through the shaded forest trail we were marching through, chatting once more about previous trips she'd made to the water front.

Long since dried and weathered plant debris crunched beneath our steps, bringing the full sense of autumn to my ears. "I'll definitely show you how to swim if you don't remember." She was all smiles at the prospect of teaching me how to swim, I just hoped I'd survive the process like this. I was an excellent swimmer as a human, hopefully that skill with treading water remained.

Looking around myself, I couldn't help but appreciate the effort this herd makes in keeping organized. They had us walking in groups of six while a number of pikachu and a couple raichu were fanned out around us in a defensive formation. Some bouncing along the soon to be leafless trees even. Each hop they made to a new branch, sent us more fodder for our march to flatten beneath our progress. Honestly, with how much effort was being put out by these guys it seemed like it wasn't worth risking the pichu if this much was needed.

Knowing their leader a bit by reputation and from my theories, I tried to look beneath the surface of what I was seeing to find the truth. 'What could they gain from such a display?' It seemed fairly obvious after I said 'display' to myself like that. That's exactly what this is. A display of power for all the other local wildlife to see. Marching your trained warriors out in a defensive wall around your future of the herd. A complete show of bold defiance to predators. It was obvious too, that we could easily be attacked. The consequences of targeting us would far outweigh any possible gain however. A pokemon would need to be mentally unstable and only out to kill for spite to think of attacking this unit. They'd get a few hits in and then die. There was no way they could escape these trained electric mice. They'd be paralyzed and electrocuted to death within moments.

I knew also that some of these pikachu looked like the ones training with the raichu in the mornings and afternoon. Likely it was a drill exercise for them as well, keeping the soldier's edges sharp. Half the pichu go in the morning and the other half early afternoon. I was a little upset for a moment at how I'd seemingly been used like this, but there wasn't much I could complain about really. It just bothered me all the same. Most annoying though, was seeing this planning and organization and I had yet to see this infamous leader.

"Now, there are some rules to follow out here Stratus," Cirrus's voice cut through my train of thought, effectively startling me to attention. "Never, ever, swim past the fifth rock into deeper waters and never go past the bulbasuars or the squirtles on either side. You understand, or am I going to have to beat it into your head some?" She was looking down at me purposefully, waiting to confirm that I fully understood the rules before unlocking her intense stare. I knew her threat of a beating was more along the lines of tickling me until I almost black out, which held the same gravity in my eyes. She'd already taken some of her sisterly energy out on me in this manner and I had no desire to repeat those incidents.

"Don't go past the fifth rock, the squirtles, or the bulbasuars. I understand Cirrus." She gave me a quick nod and moved back ahead a bit to lead the pichu in front of me.

Terra giggled at me after this exchange. I looked at her with confusion as she tried to collect herself. When she'd settled some, I was graced with a shrug of her shoulders, "You talk just like Nimbus does, so solemn and serious all the time. I couldn't help but laugh, seeing a pichu talking like that to the most disorganized caretaker in the herd." She grinned again but her merriment vanished quickly when a pine cone bounced off her head.

"Said caretaker has really big ears all the better for listening to disrespectful pichu! Watch what ya say kiddo." I really couldn't decide if she was some kind of a brash youth or a fun motherly type of pikachu. As soon as I think it's one, it shifts to another. Sadly, Nimbus had gone with the morning group so she wasn't present to keep her sisters polar personality switches in check either.

Terra rubbed her forehead and pouted a bit, "You're so mean Cirrus..." I smiled at them both, regardless of the conflict. It almost felt like I was with family here. That left me a bit upset though. It's true my family was rather introvert and didn't do much with each other, but I still loved them. We didn't have bad relationships or anything, we just had our own things going on. 'That's not wrong is it?' Every family is different... that's just how mine was. 'No, I mean is.' I frowned at this conflict of past and present tense in my mind.

After what seemed an impossibly long walk, we came upon the pond I had seen the week before. The species that occupied it were a bit different and sparser today, but it was a real deja vu for me. I looked up to my left and even saw my previous hiding spot up in an oak, struggling to shed it's massive retinue of leaves. I could almost see a fading image of me hiding up there, watching me from up high.

The various herbivores greeted us upon arrival, so I guessed we were on good terms with our passive neighbors. It makes sense to me, if you're not enemies be allies. I could just make out some of the predators across the lake, the persians had brought their young to the pond to wash, well as much as a feline would tolerate water it was more like enjoying a leisurly drink, as well. Upon seeing the unit of pikachu arriving they seemed to be finishing up their business rather swiftly. It's obvious these mice didn't take any gruff from others in this region. I never would have thought a species could surpass it's food chain limitations, but they found a way.

Of course, seeing this rather insane success, I couldn't help but feel queasy with the thought that proceeded it. If a trained raichu had this much of an effect on this rural community... what would a released predator be capable of? This sent my mind down some very dark lines of thought about what could be taking place elsewhere in the world. My only hope is that they mostly chose to go herd less. If they ever organized like this... I tried my best to not delve into this horrifying thought any further. Luckily, Terra's excitement shook me from my dark thoughts. Effectively saving my pichu emotions from my teen mentality. I had almost been to tears and I could feel bile at the back of my throat. I tried my best to forget the momentary dark images that I had conjured just before.

"See!? That's the water hole! It gets several pikachu deep near the fourth rock so we can go diving for stones over there. There are the eevee's also, you see them? They visit us sometimes and are very nice. I think they're waiting a couple seasons to have their young still. Ooh that'll be so much-" It was at this point I lost her. I was shaking and feeling really cold. It was hard to concentrate, so I tried to focus on calming myself down. "Stratus, are you alright?" I looked back at Terra whom had noticed my declined condition. I gave her a wane smile and nodded a bit.

"Are you okay? What's wrong Stratus? You're shaking... Is it the water hole?" Cirrus had come up to us and, I noticed, she was really close while in front of me. Effectively blocking out the sight of the water hole. She started to rub my arms and head a bit trying to get my system to calm down. It helped a lot and I was able to recover fully. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought-"

"No, no it's fine. It's not the water Cirrus." I cut her off before she could misinterpret it any further. I gave myself a little shake and pointed at the predators across the way. "I just saw them and was really scared for a second." Not entirely a lie, yet again. I made a mental note to be honest after this, no matter what... well, maybe except in a few cases. I just didn't want to share the dark line of thought I'd had with them. It's bad enough I had to be worried and frightened so terribly as is. I wasn't about to scar them with something like that. I shuddered again; unwanted dark scenarios replaying in my mind briefly. It truly was a horrifying line of thought.

"Are you sure?" Cirrus didn't seem quiet ready to believe I was fine in front of what could have been my watery tomb a week past. I nodded and made a show of walking to her side to look out at the water. I turned my head to smile at her and saw her release an uneasy sigh before letting go of her worries, "Alright then, if you're okay with it. Don't worry about those predators none. The few times they tried to make trouble with us over here all of us, the other species and all, showed them we mean business. Normally we're in competition for the resources around here but we've made a pact for this day of every week." It's not uncommon for herbivores in an area to take a stance against the carnivores like this, so I wasn't really surprised. She hoisted her arm up as if to flex, "If any of them even come near ya I'll pound them into the ground! Just you wait and see. Only I get to pick on my little bro." She gave me a wink and went off to talk to another of the pikachu. She really was a colorful one. I doubt I'd meet anyone like her again.

"I feel sorry for you Stratus, I don't think I'd survive a day under her care. You really must have a meowths luck." Terra whispered as quietly into my ear as she could. Trying to avoid another bonk on her head for lacking faith in our civil worker no doubt. I just gave her an uneasy nod and let it be.

Trek pushed past me and went to talk to his older brother who had taken point on this expedition. Lightning for his part greeted his brother but was otherwise preoccupied with talking to some of the other pokemon whom shared this side of the water hole with us. Looking past him, the crystal clear surface was reflecting a perfectly blue sky. Small patches of puffy white clouds drifted across the surface, gifting us land born with a bit of heaven close enough to reach out for. Reeds folded softly from the wind along the waters edge, and tiny insects danced about it's surface. I could see the smooth rocks that slowly receded into the waters darker depths from the shore. This place was absolutely beautiful! I can't believe I hadn't noticed this before, it looked completely different. I was almost wondering if it was a different body of water all together.

END Chapter 5 - Passing and Family

Parting Author Note: I keep mentioning the effect Raiden has had on the community because this is an exploration in how I believe a scenario would play out when it comes to the impact a 'Trained' pokemon released back into the wild would have. I haven't seen this idea explored in any works I've come across and so wanted to put my two cents in on it. It seems to me that they'd have a lot more reasoning capabilities in addition to being more powerful. Wild pokemon of the same level as trained pokemon in the games always had lower stats even.

Blah... Sorry for the short chapter you guys! I just couldn't focus on writing very much more while I had that nagging fault with my other chapters hanging over my head like that. If you don't know what that fault is... good.

Yee haw!


	6. Challenge and Consequence

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Eleven hundred added words later and my problem was solved. To those that don't know what I'm talking about... that's good. The issue wasn't as bad as I had thought, luckily, so only some mild effort was needed over all to correct it.

I actually made up the whole Pokemon naturalist job. I just thought of how they'd gather information just like zoologists do in real life and filled in as much info as I could think up. Including of how this kind of job would work in the economic world of pokemon... I looked it up on Google and I guess there was a character or two with this title in the anime and movies. Whether it's the same thing or not I have no idea. So... if it's different then just assume that's what they are here in this story rather than the cannon series... I thought I'd come up with an unused title but I guess I was wrong, oi.

My earlier prediction of this story being about 100k in length grows staggeringly off the more I write. I have no desire to rush the story nor destroy the characters with poor writing, so I keep adding more and going into things deeper. This is starting to look like a 400k task to me. I'm sure none of you are complaining about that prospect, but it mainly means I won't make it in a month as I had been aiming for. That's fine though, I'm very happy with how this is turning out.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 6 - Challenge and Consequence

When we were finally ushered into the water, the entire reason we'd made the trip I was a bit hesitant. The others dived right in, followed by a few pikachu that set about to grooming the rampant children. They were so full of energy, the pichu could hardly control themselves long enough to be cleaned before being released to play about the water front. Considering winter's dwindling proximity, I couldn't help but feel worry about the waters temperature. I place an explorative toe into the glass surface only to draw it back slightly. The water was fairly brisk, though not freezing, it'd be uncomfortable to jump into. Long before I could come up with any possible solutions or even think on what this means all together I was being lifted and tossed into the water.

"AHHH!!!" I couldn't help the surprised yell that escaped my mouth as I splashed into the chilling liquid. I popped up sputtering for air to refill what had escaped my lungs. I was just in time to see a yellow blur splashing into the water next to me, dousing me with the aftershock. I was glad I was able to at least tread water. I was in over my head and had naturally started to keep myself up. So that's one less thing to be worried about at least.

Cirrus's head emerged from the water splashing me for a final time from the force of her return to the surface. "Mmm! It's so nice to be in the water like this. Normal cleaning is nice but this is so much more refreshing!"

"Wh-wha-What was the big idea there?! This water is way to cold to just go getting surprise attacked into it!" I sputtered at her angrily.

"No better way to get used to it than to jump right in. I knew you'd just stand there staring at the surface thinking for the whole trip if I didn't do something." She smiled innocently at me and dunked me under the water quickly again.

Trying to regain my equilibrium once again I was gasping for air at the surface. I wasn't in any real danger, it was just a constant roller coaster of surprises that were keeping me flat footed. "Stop doing that!" I feebly smacked away at her hands, which was a failed effort since I wasn't used to staying afloat with just my feet yet so I ended up going under a couple more times.

Thankfully, in a mixed sort of sense, she grabbed my sides and pulled me towards herself, "Jeez kiddo, take it easy for a bit. You're gonna give yourself a heart attack with how you're so high strung all the time. Loosen up and have some fun!" Before I could glower or complain about this pretty much all around stress inducing treatment, she was already grooming my ears and picking away at my head hair. This brought about me trying to once again fend her off. It wasn't easy trying to stop the larger and stronger pikachu from doing her thing though, and I eventually conceded defeat.

It was nice really. I could feel a lot of built up filth, that had been residing deep within my 'coat' as it were, being washed away as she went about a normal cleaning with her hands and tongue before splashing some water on me to rinse the uprooted grime off. I only really made any effort to resist these days for my own sense of lost humanity. I didn't want to feel like I had fully given into this new life style, though I did find myself relaxing into the treatment all the same. It made me think of how my mother would go to the mud spa in town once in awhile. I guess this is why some women liked going to stylists or nail shops. I guess some guys did it to, but none that I knew yet. Some of the more exotic trainers certainly looked like they got their hair that way though. Something about being cleaned and groomed by another person felt really good.

Some of the other pichu were laughing at the scene we'd caused, some of the pikachu showed their amusement as well. Terra offered me a sympathetic smile as Lightning worked his way around the task of cleaning her. It was obvious he'd been forced into the job, his clumsy and unpracticed efforts told as much. I guess Skye really wasn't to impressed with his parenting skills and wanted them up to date. Trek gave me a short glare before ignoring me entirely and closing his eyes to wait for Oran, one of the morning caretakers, go about it with well oiled ease.

"There you go champ! All finished up. That wasn't so bad now was it?" I shook my head in reply. It had been a lot gentler than I was expecting, considering the one doing it. Nimbus was the one who'd been doing this task up to date. She finally released me and looked around the area a bit. "You're smart so I won't repeat the ground rules. Just take it easy out here alright? You're not exactly number one champ just yet. Only been a week since they dragged you outa here half dead and all."

I nodded to her concerned expression and gave her my assurances that I'd be careful. She smiled and splashed me one last time before swimming off in another direction, leaving me to my own devices for the time being.

"That was so crazy!" From one den of lions to the next it seemed, "She just upped and threw you in like that! And then she-"

"Dropped in near me like a rock and soaked me again?" I gave my usual uneasy grin and finished her line of thinking.

"Ya, it was so sudden too. I couldn't imagine my brother tossing me about like that at all. I wish he was as fun." With Terra's pout I hit a point of confusion. She wanted to have that happen to her? Seeing my shocked and bewildered look, Terra supplied me with my answer, "My siblings are never fun like that. They're always so regal and proper. They're nice, but we never get to play you know?"

I guess I could see how she'd feel like she was missing out because of that. In truth, had I not been worried about swimming and such I'd have found it to be fun also. Instead, it caught me flat footed and afraid so I wasn't really able to enjoy the activity at all.

"I guess you can swim just fine. I'm sad that I can't show you how to swim, but this means we have more time for games! Come on, the other pichu will be done soon, I don't want to miss out on the group picking." Terra was swimming around me excitedly at this before stopping to look around the swimming area. There were some squirtle at their side of the lake. I'd figure they'd go further out, but from what I could tell it seemed like a very large drop off over there. Likely where the spring water flowed in at.

The bulbasuar and some belsprouts lay along the edge of the water soaking their various flora-esque appendages in the water. Several members of each group stand on guard all around the bay area. Others treaded water or sat on rocks further in, watching for hostile movement. I'm surprised anyone can relax while there's so much tension in the air, across the way the predators would steal glances in our directions. I could see the burning hunger in their eyes. I'd make a nice snack for them I knew. 'Come and get your sugary sweet fruit fed pichu! Step on up!' I couldn't stop myself from thinking this darkly humorous thought.

"To be honest Terra, I don't really feel up to playing any water games this time around." I gave her my best apologetic look. I know she'd been looking forward to showing me another new thing. She seems to like doing that a lot. I guess since I was an outsider I was the only one here not in the know. Thus was I the outlet for her apparent desire to teach others. No doubt she'd follow in her mothers foot steps as the den mother type figure, maybe even leader. Though Lightning seems more likely to take up that mantle.

"Well, alright then." She looked really unhappy about this turn of events. "Next time though you're going to be a diver you got that? I'll be sure to fill you in on what that is so you better be practicing while you can today!" Her usual bossy, but friendly, attitude reasserted itself almost immediately. She's not one to stay down about anything.

I gave a light chuckle and nodded my head, "I'm looking forward to it, please teach me well before then."

"You bet! I'm not gonna miss out though, I need to get Lily back for the last time. She tricked me out of the win, but I'll get her this time for sure!" I wished her luck as she swam away from me towards a growing group of pichu.

"Afraid to get wet are we?" Of course a good time can turn bad just as quick. This was, of course, from the resident trouble maker (for me at least) Trek. He swam near by looking at me with disdain. "Here I figured you'd swim like a fish considering how you got here. Had you thought you were a squirtle and stayed under for too long?"

"What's you're problem Trek? If it's for hitting you in the back that one time, I wasn't even aiming for you. I was trying to get Terra who'd tagged me originally. It was an accident." His rotten attitude was kind of getting on my nerves now. We all have our limits.

"What? That weak shock you hurt yourself with? Hardly." He says this, but he twitched a bit at the mention of said event. "I'm just tired of having to put up with a runt like you. You can't do anything right yet people pay you so much attention. What's with that? You're always silent and off alone, why anyone bothers to notice you at all is what bugs me."

"So what if I'm quiet? It's just how I am. Better that then a loud braggart who gets upset with anyone disrupting his attention seeking ways." I knew I was too far gone when I blew a raspberry at him. My mischievous pichu nature had been suppressed for the most part up until now. Something about his blatant agitation with my presence just got under my skin. He decided to dislike me before he'd even met me, what nerve.

He growled a bit, but otherwise chose to ignore my comment. "Fine then, if you don't like being a runt you'll have to prove it. If you fail, you'll tell everyone what a weak baby you are from here on!"

I returned his sneer with one of my own. "I'm not a runt, I'll never lose to you Trek!" I was caught up in the passion of the moment. I knew he was more physically capable than me but I wouldn't back down to this direct challenge.

"Lose to me? It'll be worse than that. A hope crushing defeat at my hands, you don't stand a chance!"

"Are you all talk or do you have some actual ability to back up that mouth of yours!?" We were both yelling now. I'm surprised none of the surrounding pikachu had jumped in to stop us yet.

"Fine!" He started to swirl around in the water, looking about. Trying to come up with a challenge he'd enjoy utterly beating me in. Finally, his eyes came to rest in the deeper waters of the pond. "The first one to reach the deep point rock wins! Don't be sorry if you can't keep up!" With that he was already swimming off.

I knew a moment of hesitation; it was past the boundary, but I couldn't lose to him. This was the deciding factor between us. I wasn't going to be the poor little runt that everyone needs to look down on! Human or pichu, it didn't matter. I won't be dead last like that! We were both dog paddling but he was a lot more used to swimming as a pichu than me and was easily going faster than I could manage like that.

I have years of practice and swimming training under my belt though. I may be in a different body but the principles of sliding through the water with the least amount of resistance was still there. I shifted into a more advanced swimming technique and started to increase speed. The stance was awkward in this body but I was able to adapt it to suit my needs for the most part. I was pushing muscles I hadn't used yet like this to their breaking point but I pressed on. My fury and determination fueling their weak fibers with more power than they should have held. I wasn't any kind of water pokemon in the water, but I was certainly faster than this kid.

I stopped looking forward, just focusing on my head coming up for breaths as I continued my forward stroke. Head up, breath, head down, wait, head up, breath, head back down. I could vaguely make out the sound of his splashing and swimming starting to pass behind me and I spared a glance up to my destination, almost there!

"Argh!" He gave a cry of frustration and I could hear his swimming become more frantic as he put his all into it. It was to little to late, I had reached the mostly submerged stone and shakily lifted myself upon it. I wanted to collapse from exertion but I couldn't help my belated cries of victory. I'd proven my strength that was all that mattered.

"You see that Trek! I'm not a ru-" Trek gave a cry of alarm in the middle of my sentence and suddenly every hair on my body stood on end.

"RAWR!!" A mind splitting call ripped through the air as water surged behind me. I turned just in time to see a blue mouth lined with rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth coming towards me at frightening speed. I stumbled backwards and off the stone. I fell into the water right next to the rock wall that was the stone and all I could see after that was the white swirl of water and air mixing from violent actions accosting the liquids surface. The shock waves sent me spinning and spiraling. I could hardly make up and down apart but I managed to make it to the surface for air. Barely able to hold myself above water with my aching muscles pushed to the brink.

Through the blurry water filling my eyes I saw the aggressive blue beast making a beeline for Trek's retreating form. It was like watching a car run down a pedestrian. It's massive jaws opened and I could tell this time, now that I was further away, that it was a feraligatr. I had seen this sort of thing happen in the past, the cycle of life, but I had never known the victim before now. Never before when I witnessed a scyther taking out a venognat, or an arcanine taking out a tauros with a single swift pounce and quick lethal strike across the various critical regions, had I known the creatures name as it died. I never knew it's parents, friends, daily activities. I'd never conversed with it... them. This was absolutely horrible.

I had thought I'd see the end of Trek in a bath of gore before my own inevitable demise by the same threat, when the feraligatr was deflected by a brown shell slamming into it. A wartortle had reached Trek and used rapid spin to bash itself into the raging predator. It was routed away but not in the least bit fazed. It would have continued after the offender, and it's would be morsel, but the wartortle was already swimming madly away with Trek on it's back. It's attention returned to me, the easier and undefended target.

I could see the cold unfeeling lust in it's eyes, I'd never actually seen anything look at me like this before. Not up close and personal, the predators across the lake had been leagues apart form me. Nothing looked at humans like this beast was gazing upon me. All it saw... all it cared about was the meat on my bones. How I would taste and feed it for at least a bit. It didn't see an individual, a personality, dreams, or hopes... just some flesh stuck together in a neat package for it to consume.

It made a horrible face at me as it slowly drew closer to where I feebly tried to stay afloat. I was scared so bad I was shaking and my limbs were starting to lock up. My head began to go under and I tried desperately to resurface to no avail. It dunked under and opened it's jaws in anticipation. As I felt the cold grip of death start enclosing me I cried out in one last desperate act and electricity shot out from me with no control what so ever. The entire watery scene was filled with charged energy looking for a place to go. Luckily, it sought the feraligatr with a passion born of electricity not mixing well with water. It twisted in pain and turned away to withdraw from my range. Gaining some momentary confidence back I managed to pull myself to the surface and climb onto the rock where I coughed up water from my lungs and collapsed. The rock was submerged slightly, so I lay there staring out for what felt my last few moments with one eye under water. My breath was ragged and my body had gone completely limp. As I saw it turning to come back at me all I could think about is how uncomfortable being wet felt, wanting to shake myself dry. I knew I was completely spent; emotionally, mentally, and physically, I had nothing left to offer except to go out as quietly as I had lived.

It pulled up to the stone and climbed his two clawed paws onto it. I couldn't even twist my head to look up and see what would be my final destination. I smelled it rancid breath drifting down to me and the shadow of it's jaw lowering to take me.

"MEGA KICK!!" A mighty yell split the air silencing what I felt was my dirge. A sickening impact resounded from above me and the savage pokemon was thrown from the rock. A pair of black paws settled in front of my view. With the sight of them I was filled with a euphoria of inexplainable happiness and relief. "Don't worry little guy, you'll make it." I was being lifted and he held me against him. I couldn't see anything anymore, just the white fur of this raichu's belly. "Thought you could come into my territory and attack some children did you? You're obviously not from around here you low life piece of shit!"

"Filthy rodent!" That raspy voice had to be the feraligatr, it was so odd knowing you're enemy could communicate with it's supposed dinner like this. "I'll chew the flesh from your bones and gnaw them to dust!" I could hear it's mouth start gurgling water at the end of it's statement, preparing to perform hydro pump most likely. The sound of rushing water passed below me. 'We're airborne?'

"I'd like to see you try." The air around me suddenly felt charged and deadly, I had to close my eyes after the bright light of his thunderbolt split through the air and struck the water with all the force of a bolt from the heaven's themselves. I could hear the geyser of steam his blast had created rushing into the air. We landed again, the waves were rocking against whatever we stood upon. It must have been one of the many rocks that managed to jut up and out of the waters surface. The raichu paused and suddenly we were moving again. I didn't hear anything in the water or a cry of any form, so I can only assume he'd defeated or killed the nameless feraligatr.

When we hit the ground next I knew we were on land once more. The pebbles that littered the shore shifted with his sudden weight. "Lightning, give me an oran berry." There was some movement and I was being withdrawn from the crook in his arm I had curled up in as best as I could. I opened my eyes and the blurry sights of the world began to fill my hazy vision once more. I could barely make out the shapes of the many pikachu that surrounded me.

Suddenly something was being pressed up against my mouth. It smelled sweet and delicious, "Eat this up now. You need it to recover alright?" I did just that. It took a moment due to it's hard and tough texture, but I felt refreshed and could feel the exhaustion and pain begin to fade away. In it's wake I was left feeling horribly sore but no longer in pain at least. Like when you get a bruise, the pain from the impact had faded but it's after effects were still there.

I looked up and saw a vibrant prime looking raichu looking down at me. He had several markings and scars along his front torso. This could be none other than Raiden. I knew mega kick isn't a skill non-trained pokemon pick up. Only hitmonlee naturally learn this skill and even then, out in the wild few ever gain the discipline and power to learn and use it. I may not be a trainer, but that doesn't mean I didn't look into what pokemon are capable of, it's best not to get caught off guard in the wilderness.

"Looks like you're going to be okay." He helped me stand upon my feet and gave my shoulder a squeeze. "I think someone wants to have a word with you." He pointed behind me and I saw Cirrus standing there, a look of intense anger, relief, and horror stricken upon her face. I'd never realized someone could contain so many emotions in one expression before.

"What were you thinking?" The calm even toned voice she put out sent warning signals off in my head.

"I wa-" I tried to start but never got the chance to finish.

"You weren't thinking, that's what. We'll discuss this later. Head back to the colony with Amber and Lightning. Now." The finality of her statement brooked no room for an argument or otherwise. I just deafly nodded and turned to go to Amber. Lightning came up to us with Trek and we began our trip back. I could barely make out the activity of the swarming shore we left behind us but I did catch a glimpse of Terra's tear stained face staring at me and Treks receding forms.

Our journey was spent in silence. Amber and Lightning said nothing while me and Trek weren't in the mood for conversation. I could see he was just as shaken up and still frightened at what should have likely been our deaths. The welcomed sight of the safe haven of thick thorny walls finaly came into sight. Lightning immediately diverged from our route, Trek in tow. Trek spared me a parting glance though I'm not sure if either of us knew what meaning our casted looks held for the other. The sun still hung high in the sky, just past noon from what I could tell.

When we arrived to Nimbus, who'd been settled in front of a group of pichu watching over them as was her routine, she jumped up in surprise upon our arrival. Amber quickly gave her a brief over view of what had happened.

"He did what?! A feraligatr was in the pond!?" She was shocked at first but it quickly turned to a stern anger. She gripped my ear and pulled me forcefully with her towards our den. A part less concerned with the now figured Amber would cover her shift until the group returned from the pond. Why I even cared about this detail I have no clue. I can't seem to stop thinking about all these things no matter what my situation.

She marched me along until we were inside the den and she stopped me in front of one of the dirt walls. "Sit, now. Don't speak or get up." She let go of my ear with this and turned to leave. I did as I was told, mutely. I just couldn't believe this, I was being so horribly treated like a child. I was an adult darn it! I'd been living out in the woods alone, not with help like them, for almost two years now. I bet that's just under how old they are. I could feel my anger boiling over. I tried my best to keep it down but as I had already seen, controlling myself wasn't near as easier in this younger form than it had been when I was in an older state.

I was left to my dark thoughts and frustrations for a time. I mumbled and griped mulling over my perceived injustices. Finally, my two keepers had come and I could feel their tension from here. I turned to them, giving them a flat stare.

"You almost got eaten today, what on earth were you thinking!? Or were you at all?!" Cirrus, never one to beat around the bush, started the confrontation of wills.

"Trek has been giving me trouble since I arrived. Making snide remarks, constantly targeting me... and today he challenged me to prove I'm not a runt. I wasn't about to back down to a man's (I found it interesting at this point, that the term for man and woman still seemed the same despite the species difference) challenge. I had to settle his dispute one way or another!" All my pent up anger was starting to flow out of me. I can't believe they'd question my choice. It was poor luck only that it had gone so bad. That kind of pokemon shouldn't even be in this area, how can they fault me for that!

"A man's challenge? What's all this then! You're not a man yet Stratus, you don't have the luxury of taking risks like that! And for what? So you two could have a little hissy fit contest cause you were upset with each other? Oh ya, real manly." Cirrus gave a snort. I was about to reply when Nimbus cut me off with words of her own.

"You're still a child. You can hardly defend yourself from the many, and I mean many, things in this world that would see your end. You should have known better. I had thought you did. You're always thoughtful and well behaved, I truly expected better of you. What could you have possibly thought would be to gain from such a childish challenge as to risk the both of your lives in hostile territory? You disobeyed direct guidance from us and almost got killed by the very thing we form these boundaries to protect you from." Her words were cool and calculated. Where Cirrus was a baseball bat with nails that bludgeoned it's target, Nimbus was a cold scalpel cleanly and precisely opening you to the cool air. I felt my anger and justifications begin to falter but it still surged within me, seeking release.

"I told you the rules, how could you completely ignore them and disobey me like that?!" Cirrus was back in the fray now and that had been it for me, I'd had enough of it.

"You're not my Mother! Leave me alone already!" I knew it was an extremely childish and hurtful thing to say, but it was frustrating me to no end. I was at least four times their age, I knew what I was doing and weighed the complications. '...didn't I?' I held some doubt deep in me, beyond the anger that filled my vision. I had to say that though I felt like. If nothing else than to distance their rules and control from myself... to gain some of the adulthood I had lost. Even if... just in my own mind where it lay dusty and misplaced.

As soon as I had said it, I regretted this short statement. It was possibly one of the most selfish and hurtful things I had ever said in my life. I only yelled this at them for my own emotional gain, not even thinking of the two that had been so kind to me each passing day I knew them. Nimbus looked like she'd taken a physical blow, and to have caused such a wonderful person any pain at all was almost punishment enough in the guilt I felt upon realizing this. Cirrus wasn't fazed at all though.

She walked right up to me and lifted me off the ground, "Your right, I'm not your Mom... I'm your sister, and I'm about to beat you harder than any mother could ever bring herself to." And so she did. I cried out with each hit that was delivered to my backside. I didn't pay the tears any attention, all I could think about was how painful and humiliating this was. A small part of me also dwelled on how I deserved it. For the most part however, all cognitive thought escaped me as time progressed on until what I considered infinity. I'd never really been disciplined when I was growing up. Sure I got grounded a couple times, I wasn't an angel or anything, but I never really did anything to warrant a punishment like this from my mother. The one time my Dad did spank me was nothing like this either, though it was for a similar reason. I had been following a venomoth around and almost got poisoned.

When I could think again my raw hide was firmly planted back into the corner. If you could call a more acute angle of a circler room a corner. I was still sobbing, but I kept it mostly to a minimum. I still couldn't believe what had happened, even while the painful proof attacked my senses. I knew I deserved it, now that the anger had cleared from my mind. I'd acted foolishly, endangering Trek and myself, then lashed out at the ones that worried for my life. What I had done was completely stupid and what I'd said to them was irrefutably cruel, aimed only to hurt. I really was a bastard. I didn't like feeling sorry for myself like this though, so I resolved not to make these mistakes again and continued to sit in silence. Ignoring the world around me, I was soon lost to my thoughts.

After an indeterminable amount of time, I could feel the cold night air drifting into the burrow a bit. I hadn't realized these dens became this cold when they weren't really occupied. I think it was the brisk wind causing this problem for the most part. Normally the ground retained most heat that permeated from the occupants, but a slight breeze was snaking into the den and stealing my accumulated warmth. Like a cracked window in your room. I just curled up on the floor and tried to stay as warm as I could.

I felt I was starting to drift off to sleep when I heard the two of them return from where ever they had left to. Some rustle and shifting, then silence. I felt incredibly alone here, by myself. I didn't realize how much I'd come to enjoy the companionship I shared with these two until I no longer had it. At least, not at the moment and not indefinitely I hoped. I could still vividly see Nimbus's hurt look in my mind's eye.

"It goes without saying that you've gone without dinner." This matter of fact statement came from Nimbus. "I hope you've reflected on what you did and how terribly irresponsible and dangerous it was."

"I did..." My voice sounded as weak as my spirit did. The day had sapped what life I held in me. I just wanted it to come to an end as quickly as it could.

"Good. We'll talk more on this in the morning." That seemed the end of it from what I could tell. I continued to stare at the dirt wall I faced, waiting for sleep to claim me.

"What're ya doin'?" The gruff voice of Cirrus pulled me once more from my slowly invading groggy state. I sat up slightly to look back at them. They were laying apart from each other, the way they did every night, looking at me. I stayed silent, not sure what they were expecting me to say. "It's cold and I want to get to bed. Are you coming over or what?" Cirrus averted her gaze from me when she said this. I could tell this was as close to a sort of apology, for whatever guilty thing she felt she'd done, as she could bring herself to give.

My ears shifted slightly upright from where they'd been flattened against my head. I wanted to accept the offer, but I didn't really feel I had any right. I belonged over here alone tonight. I was about to turn back around when I saw the look in Nimbus's eyes. They didn't want me to join them just for my own benefit... they... they wanted me over there. I couldn't really comprehend this notion fully in my current state. I knew I wanted to be there and they wanted me the same, however, so I slowly began to walk over to them and settled down as I did every night. Such strong emotions surged in me right now that I couldn't really tell what most of them were or unravel their meaning.

Cirrus wrapped her arms around me and drew me in close to her in a powerful hug, "Don't ever scare me like that again kiddo.. just.. please don't." I could feel my head becoming damp from her tears and I felt some start coming down my face too.

"I'm sorry..." I'm not sure when I drifted out of the waking world, all I could remember was her arms around me and Nimbus curled up against the front of me. Both of them protecting me from the cold night and perhaps my loneliness I had never felt until now.

END Chapter 6 - Challenge and Consequence

Parting Author Note: That last scene was my first attempt at any kind of a touching moment between people in any works I've ever done. I'd like some feed back on whether it was to much, to little, just right? Where can I improve etc. It was a real experiment for me since I normally write with a sort of whimsical humorous tone. I've been trying my best to make things as real as I could with the characters however. Another problem I used to have was character dynamics and development. I like to think I've made a lot of progress in that department thus far and am trying to cover other grounds now for an overall increase in my writing ability. Thanks to all for their feedback on this!

Ooooh, Raiden dropped the first swear word!

Another down, many to go. So... fun times!!! Yee haw!


	7. Aftermath and Treatment

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Thanks again for all the reviews guys. I'm glad for the feedback and even just acknowledgment that my story is being read. I really liked that scene was, but I wasn't sure if I had done to much or if it felt forced etc. I was thinking about it all day at work and wrote it when I got home before the rest of the chapter even, since I didn't want it to escape me. I'm glad it turned out so well. That my first try at such a scene was a success fills me with confidence!

Forging on ahead... let's do this!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 7 - Aftermath and Treatment

My memories of the day before were hazy and diluted. I felt as though I'd had a vivid dream, it felt so distant and surreal now. All the rampant up and downs of that day left my psyche confused and battered. I felt as though I was the old oak outside your window left standing after a hurricane. With how I felt, the family vehicle was lodged in my branches also. I could barely move! I almost cried when Cirrus shifted me up on my feet.

Despite the promise that'd it'd be discussed the next day, all of us seemed reluctant to bring it up to each other. The day began as so many others had normally. With the horrible soreness of my near death encounter, and the body breaking charge just before it, I barely managed to hobble after them as we went about our business. Neither of them helped me, instead, choosing to ignore what I was afflicted with all together. I was fine with that, this was my own burden to bear as a result of my choices.

When I was confronted with breakfast, I attacked it with all the gusto of a starving beast. I hadn't realized my own hunger born from the day before. No lunch and dinner, just that oran berry since breakfast. Not to mention all the physical exertion I'd endured that day. I noticed vaguely that I wasn't eating as many of the delicious fruit as I had been given before. I guess those days are over now that they know I can drink from the well.

It wasn't until after we'd eaten that I realized there would be a break in routine today. They were taking me to a different location than I had gone thus far. In an area near the well, the land was scorched and barren. I can see this is where they practiced their electric attacks, the grass and tree's were dead and scarred by the flame less fires that had ravaged this land. It had several pikachu off to one side practicing now even. They were all young looking and full of energy to prove their new strength. He'd set up a gym like area for sparring and practicing.

This made my thoughts drift to the raichu that had saved me the day before. I had wanted to meet that being for so long only to have our first encounter be less than flattering. This disappointing thought sent sparks flying from my face as my mind, without my consent, delved further into my own failings and having set such a poor first impression.

"Oy! Thunder! Where are you!" Cirrus gave out a bellow. A number of the pikachu looked her way at the shout and some even paled or blanched. I can only guess that they'd been assigned to her pichu group when they were younger. This made me laugh a bit, she had quite the reputation and yet still held her caretaker position. Guess Skye felt some blunt force trauma was necessary for raising pichu.

"Trying to wake the ghastly or what?" Thunder tread over the blackened crispy flora to us. "I was already coming to you. Not like I wasn't asked to meet you here or nothin'." He began to pick at his ears a bit, looking dis-interestingly at Cirrus.

"Pfft, like that means anything with you. I figured you'd be off taking a nap, wouldn't be the first time let me tell you." Cirrus gave out a small puff of air and shrugged her shoulders.

"Why hello there Nimbus, you're looking very lovely today. Being next to your sister really shows me the difference in class." Thunder completely ignored Cirrus and gave Nimbus a bright smile. He said all this with a complete authentic matter of fact voice. Nimbus giggled into her paw as Thunder bowed as if in front of a noble lady. Cirrus silently fumed at this, I think for the first time she'd been silenced.

Nimbus finally ended her giggle and smiled back at the male pikachu, "You and my sister always get along so well Thunder. The relationship you both have is wonderful."

At this statement Thunder looked stricken for a moment. If Nimbus noticed it at all she paid it no mind. "Ah, no Nimbus... I mean... we don't fight but..." He seemed to be struggling with something that left us all confused. I noticed Cirrus making mocking gestures at Thunder from behind Nimbus though so I can't believe that she wasn't aware of whatever his dilemma was.

"Don't be silly Thunder, you're both always so playful and energetic with each other." She continued to smile beatifically at him, completely oblivious of his panic.

He looked like he wanted to say something but finally slumped his shoulder in defeat and drooped his ears. I could see Cirrus sticking her tongue out at him now, and she was silently laughing. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Thunder liked Nimbus but she was completely oblivious to his feelings or thought he liked her sister rather than herself. My heart went out for the guy, I had seen many school mates in this sort of situation.

"Well there hun, it was sooo nice seeing you again. You have fun with the little one okay now sweety? I'll be asking him how you did later on. I know you'll do well, you're good father material." Cirrus was putting her best effort into act flirtatious with Thunder. It left his teeth grinding and Nimbus smiling at what she felt was a precursor for their future together.

"Ya, sure thing Cirrus. You got it." His eyes held his anger in check while Cirrus and Nimbus waved back at him as they left for the meadow.

"See you later on sweetheart! Stratus, be good for your big brother Thunder ya hear!" Cirrus called back in her most cutesy voice I had ever heard come forth from her.

Thunder went from angry to gloomy, to a pout with nary a beat apart of each other. "She's so evil..." I had the urge to play into her parting cruelty but I felt the poor guy needed a break. First Nimbus dashing his hopes like that and then Cirrus coming in for the killing blow was enough for now.

I wasn't really sure why they had decided to bring me here. The only things I could think up is to show me what actual fighting capable pikachu were like, show me the basics of battle, punish me... the list goes on and they were all wild theories. Looking at the other chu's going about their training filled me with a bit of excitement. This is what I'd been waiting for, if I was ever going to make it back to that cave I needed to become stronger. If they let me watch these proceedings from now on, I'd absorb every detail possible.

"So Stratus, I heard about yesterday." His flat tone of acknowledgment sent my ears downwards. I was hoping that it was past me, but I can see I was in no such luck. "You're sisters asked me to take you up on my own offer to toughen ya up a bit." Oh yes, I remembered that now, when I was going to meet Skye on the first day. I guess it had slipped my mind considering the deluge of information I went through that day.

"I'm sorry Thunder... I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do truth be told. I can barely walk around right now after yesterday." I'm sure he could tell as much by how I was slumped over and had been breathing hard from walking here while he was having a battle of wits with Cirrus.

"I'm sure you are. I'd say you can lie down and rest a bit, but I've been informed that you are to be treated as any other that comes here. You work in whatever condition you enter this field in. You're not always a hundred percent when you get into a fight, you can't ask your opponent to come back the next day." This sudden serious give no ground attitude gave me a startling shock, I hadn't realized he could be like this. I began to fear what was in store for me, my poor arms and legs ready to collapse under me just from thinking about it. "That aside, I see no reason why we can't practice electrical attacks today." He was looking at me sympathetically, obviously wishing me no more pain than I was already in. I now felt glad that I hadn't tormented him earlier with Cirrus's joke. Guy's have to look out for each other.

"Thanks Thunder." I said this in my sincerest voice.

"Sure thing Stratus. Now as for your electrical attacks, as a pichu you really don't have much control over them at all. You can hurt yourself about as often as your target. I'm sure you've noticed this already." I gave my affirmative, hanging on his every word. Every piece of information and detail was of grave importance, "So it's a good idea to just not use them for the most part as far as combat goes," and then I knew disappointment. He laughed and scratched the back of his head while I glowered.

"It can't be helped really. As a pichu you just have no control over your electricity. I've seen pichu try and use their thundershock, only to... well, they didn't make it after that ya know?" Thunder looked really crestfallen at this statement, to which I could understand. I'm not sure how I'd be able to handle seeing a kid fry himself while trying to use an attack. So I decided not to find out if I could help it. "Alright then... we can at least work on your ability to handle being shocked, your tolerance to it. I'm going to give you some light shocks and I'll keep increasing how powerful they are after each time until we reach your limit."

"Wa-what?" Did he just say he was going to shock me? That took me a moment to process fully. As a human, getting shocked in anyway shape or form is a very, very, bad thing. A lot of people don't even like to put their tongue on a '9volt' battery, even though they know it won't harm them. To hear anyone tell me they were going to electrocute me for my benefit... just seemed a totaly alien concept. Even as a pichu, my own shocks hurt me so it's not as though his wouldn't.

"How'd you figure you'd build a resistance to getting shocked? Don't worry so much. At least all you have to do is stand there." He seemed a bit apologetic, to which I'm glad at least that he wasn't a sadistic bastard.

"I don't think this is a good idea..." My eyes had gotten very big and I was slowly backing away from my would be torturer.

"Now don't go being like that, it's not meant to be exceedingly painful or nothin'. I'm not gonna keep at it till you pass out, just a little bit at a time until we hit a stopping point until next time. Then hopefully we can keep increasing it as your body can handle it better. Truth be told, parents normally do this for their pichu at some point in the day, so it's not like you're being singled out. I'm sure Cirrus and Nimbus would do it themselves to but they wanted you to have a time of day to get rid of your energy I guess." He sighed for a second, "and I had already offered to help you out."

He saw me giving him a glance asking if I was a burden and he quickly added, "Not that I mind. I meant it when I offered to help ya Stratus. I just feel like they put some of their own work onto me. Only way I can figure it is that they wanted me to have more face time with kids. With how we have caretakers instead of randomly watching the children, a number of us never really spend time with you youngin's and they find our lack of experience disappointing. So they do things like this to make up for it a bit." He gave a bit of a shrug and waited for me to finish digesting the new information he'd provided.

It took me awhile to finally get over my instinctual reluctance to accept pain. A long while, but he waited patiently for my inner turmoil to come to an end. "Will this really help me?" I asked reluctantly after a time. I truly hope I didn't lose any brain cells from this treatment. I doubt being human again would matter if I had a frazzled and fried mind.

He laughed a bit, "Ya it will. You'll be surprised how much after a time."

I gave him my nod of assent which he returned and his cheeks began to spark up. If this is what it took to become stronger than I would endure it for the time being. I was never one to shy away from some sweat and dirt to reach my goal. To push myself physically and mentally, I could only hope he knew what he was doing.

---------------------------

I was in so much pain. The soreness of my limbs had been joined by the rest of my body. The stronger the shocks got the more I had spasmed. Not that I was flipping around on the ground or anything. Just that my muscles locked up, flexing and unflexing uncontrollably. Thunder stopped once I hit my pain threshold and was crying from the physical stress. I think I would have been okay if I hadn't been so sore from the day before and wasn't trying to push myself further than I should go.

Thunder carried me from the training ground to the well and splashed some water unto me. It felt a little better to the burning I had felt. "Sorry there buddy, the first time is always the worst." I was soon in the field with Cirrus and Nimbus, thankfully resting on my back in the light autumn breeze with the sun gently lulling me into sleep. I saw Terra come over at one point but by that time I was drifting in and out of sleep and I think she left me be for a time. At some point I saw Trek staring at me, but when he noticed my own gaze shifted his look and went elsewhere.

I was so tired. I just wanted to sink into the soft earth, let it consume me and all my worries. It seemed so inviting, lying beneath me in absolute serenity. No conflict or stress, just peace and consistency. After awhile, I felt Nimbus pick me up and hold me in her lap leaning against her. I really hoped I recovered soon. It felt worse than it had when I washed up on shore here and that had taken almost a week.

The entire day was a blur past that point. All I remember clearly is being glad when it was finally over with me in bed. The next day went by much as my first days did. I could only figure they were giving my body time to recover. Trek was once again staring at me as I lay limply upon the ground. He wasn't bothered to look away when he saw me returning his stare with my own blatant annoyed glance.

I guess he was just trying to build up his nerve, because he eventually came over to me. He looked down at me for a time before I finally asked him what he wanted. He wasn't as quick to reply as I was used to and it kind of confused me.

"What's wrong with you? You can't have been this badly done up by that feraligatr." This surprised me, I was expecting something a little more snide and less polite. Not that it was overly nice or well mannered, just a lot less barbed than I had grown to expect. He was definitely acting odd today.

"I could barely move yesterday and they had Thunder train me a bit out at the battle field." That was about the only name for it that I could figure out. "Is that all you've been staring at me for? Wondering why I was so beat up?"

"I don't get you." It was a rather short and simple statement, to which I was shocked upon hearing. I hadn't thought of it, but maybe our relationship had changed that day.

"I'm not sure I follow Trek." I didn't really. I had some friends sure, but I didn't have any rivals and extremely close friends, so this was a whole new scope of a relationship dynamic for me. When I started to group Trek with friends I have no idea.

"I'm the son of our herd's leaders. Raiden and Skye's blood empowers me." He said this as if it explained everything but I was left staring at him blankly. "I'm the son of the strongest members of this clan. The ones that lead it." Again, I felt lost for what he was trying to say.

"I know. You and Terra both right?" I was totally confused by now, where exactly was he going with this?

"Yet that doesn't seem to affect you at all! Why? You're just an outsider of unknown lineage but you act like our equals. I've seen you talking with my sister every day." I had to laugh at this, and wonder how much you could consider her talking my ear off a mutual reciprocated activity between us. "You never acknowledged my sentiment or comments, you don't do anything different. Do you dislike me or something?" He was completely flustered at this outburst. He'd obviously been holding this kernel of disquiet inside of himself for a time now.

"So what? I'm supposed to treat you like the children of the colony leaders I take it? How does that make me not like you? I didn't like you after you treated me so poorly, not before." I frowned at this. I don't like people trying to enforce some kind of social hierarchy on me.

"Of course you're supposed to... why wouldn't you think you had to?" He had a frown of his own at this. Now that I looked a bit, I could see he was almost as tired as I was. Though not physically... it was obvious he'd been troubled the last couple days.

"Alright then, I'll treat you like the son of Raiden and Skye as you so desire." I inwardly smiled at my smarmy plan of attack.

"Hmph, it's about time." He stared at me. I stared back. This went on for a few minutes before he finally caved in, "Well?"

"Well what?" I feigned a lack of understanding at his question.

"You're not doing anything different at all!" He was completely exasperated at this point, throwing his paws high above him in a gesture of agitation.

"I'm treating you like the son of Raiden and Skye though. Which happens to be the same as how I treat everyone." I was feeling pretty smug at this, 'Take that you prince complex pichu.' I could see him staring at me with a look of complete confusion.

Eventually he looked down, "Everyone treats me differently though." He sounded a bit melancholy actually. This caught me off guard. I sat up at this point trying to better get ahold of the situation I was just now beginning to see. "Everyone's always coddling me and doing what I want. Even when I got in trouble for getting us attacked."

I stayed silent as he talked. I could feel as though I was seeing the heaviest weight on this boy's soul coming forth in this moment of insecurity. "When Lightning dropped me off to mom she gave me a spanking and made me wait for father to get back from the water hole. When he did he yelled at me for a long time telling me how foolish and wrong it'd been to rush past the boundaries and break the rules so flippantly. How I had scared him and almost gotten you killed."

"I was at just as much fault Trek. It was my choice to foll-"

"That's not it! I pushed you! I was the one that demanded we go to the middle of the lake, the one that insulted you and spurned you forward." I could see a tear forming at the corner of his eye as he spent his frustrations out at this point, "But that's all they did to me that night. I got spanked and yelled at then hugged and told how worried he'd been. It's not fair!"

Okay, I was really lost now. If ever there was a moment in my life where I was completely confused this would be it. Even when I got transformed, I'd been told beforehand and could deduce the validity of the statement. As it was, I was left staring mutely at the boy wondering where he was heading with this rant.

By now several tears where coming down his face, "When Lightning used to do stuff like this, Dad would take a stick to his feet and make him run laps around our stone! Mom would make him go a day without food to teach him a lesson! It's not fair, it's not fair at all!" He covered his face with his paws for a second and viciously rubbed at his tears. The punishment seemed bizzare to me, being a human, but I could see how out here where one step meant your loved one was dead that they might go to such extreme lengths. It still put a chill down my spine knowing I could have shared a similar fate the other day. "I hate it, I hate being the baby. Terra may like the attention but I can't stand it. I'm strong, stronger than they take me for. I'm not a weakling, I can take it just like Lightning did."

At this moment I realized how similar we were. The words came from my heart and escaped my mouth before I could even think of what I was saying, "Get stronger Trek. Get stronger and prove to them you're not a baby to be coddled anymore. Don't ever look back, keep going forward with all your might. Don't give them a chance to see you falter, always strive to improve yourself! Make them regret ever doubting your determination and strength!"

This wasn't some pichu runt talking to him. No, this was a six-teen year old boy who'd been the youngest brother to a trainer with a league referee father. They had always looked down at my chosen profession, seeing it as just a passing fancy of a child. A hobby I'd grow out of when I got older. They were completely blind to the passion I had for my chosen career and completely ignored all my efforts. Even my mother would ask when I planned to finish school and go to college. 'How was your camping trip son?' was a usual question of my fathers. 'Have fun taking pictures little bro?' from my sibling.

Neither of them cared or thought about how I'd crouch for hours in the rain, sometimes lying in the mud holding my camera trying to catch a shot of a pidgey looking for food despite the weather. How I'd creep along cave walls worrying about some ground pokemon setting of an attack that would cave it in or send stalactites down on me from above. How I'd be out in the woods for weeks on end trying to survive off the land and catch the local wildlife in the midst of it's routines. I'd track and monitor water trails that pokemon used for days just to get information sometimes.

'Yes my beloved family, I had a lot of fun watching a trail for three days to get an idea of what pokemon shared travel routes with each other. It was an excellent 'camping' trip where I ate twigs and berries and only rinsed myself in water once a week without using soaps because I needed to smell like the woods. I loved being filthy most of my time out and about, it was simply marvelous. I can't wait to end this 'fun' hobby and start into my career despite having spent the last four or five years studying every detail of the Kanto region that I could so I could take said 'camping trips'.' Every time I had wanted to say this to them but could never bring myself to. I just vowed to show them exactly how important my craft was and how much it meant to me. Pokemon researchers didn't get any new information on pokemon habits to study and create theories on without people like me out there gathering it. Could anyone imagine Professor Oak wondering around in the woods trying to gather information? Maybe when he was younger, but unlikely now. No, it was people like 'ME! I was the one that did it, I was the one that goes out accepting the risk with a camera in tow!'

I shook myself of the silent rage that threatened to consume me. This had been a sore point of mine for a couple years now, if I didn't stop myself I'd go for hours with how frustrated they made me on this subject. Trek was left standing there staring at me from my speech and the angry frown that had followed it. I think for a moment he felt that kinship that only younger brothers could share. For a second he knew I understood his plight.

He eventually got a look of determination on his face granted me a grave nod of agreeance. "You're right, it's the only way I can prove to them that I'm stronger than they think." He turned and left after this. Likely to decide where he'd go from now on with this in mind. After this conversation I couldn't think poorly of him. He'd been confused and upset by me at first because of how I'd seemingly treated him with what he likely considered disdain when we first met. Why else would I treat him like that, so different than the others, unless I didn't like him? 'He attacked me socially out of defense I'll bet.' It made sense to me now that I was privy to the information.

I slid back to the ground, my heart feeling as weak as my body. I always did whenever my thoughts went in the direction of my family looking down on me. I tried so hard but got so little acknowledgment or respect in turn. I could feel myself sliding down a slope whenever that subject came up. I didn't want to know what was at the bottom of it and was glad I'd been able to stop myself thus far from ever finding out.

END Chapter 7 - Aftermath and Treatment

Parting Author Note: The idea for the resistance building, despite it hurting the pokemon, actually came from an early episode of the anime. When I was hooked on it at like 12, there was an episode where a trainer was getting his sandshrew to constantly jump in and out of a pool to build up it's resistance to water, despite the pain and discomfort it caused it. Also, people have trained by punching logs and buckets of rocks to toughen their hands. I figure those were for self improvement and this is survival, so it would be a bit more dramatic.

As for the stick to the Lightning's feet thing, that's actually a punishment they used to doll out in... well I don't remember where specifically. Anywho, it's obviously seen as pretty horrendous nowadays but there were times when capital punishment was applied even in North America(gasp!). Here's a glimpse into the past as far as domestic punishments go.

It's hilarious and sad really. I've been reading on this site for 8 years now and I think I only posted one Anonymous review to a story like 4 ago. And then I did one today. So.. what... one review every election year? Awesome. So you now know why you won't see any -&- (I bet you thought I'd post that two letter acronym while talking about it didn't you) around my story. You never will too. I think I'll start making up for lost time however. Look out authors! I'm gonna hit you up real soon! (Assuming I give myself time to read anything while writing a chapter a day.)

Starting to get used to the updates? Ain't nothin' gonna stop me. Stay tuned for tomorrows installment! Yeeee haaaaw! (Despite all the yee haw's, I'm not a cowboy... just thought you'd like to know)


	8. Rivalry and Revelations

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: These are 'pocket monsters' that wield extremely powerful attacks of various natures. Survival of the fittest is something I'm keeping in mind here. It seems like even in the anime wild pokemon were a lot more feral than their domesticated peers whom had the edge of survival ebbed away. Not like they ever showed a meowth munching down on a goldeen when Ash was walking by, or anything of that nature either.

I just feel that they'd be harsher in the wild, because of the general increased risk in life. If Raiden didn't have such a tight operation going I'd be writing about the grief of the day to day lost herd members. How many predators versus prey are there in the wild that need to sustain said predators? There's plenty of story to go, we'll see. I'm not sadistic, just writing in a realistic sense as best I can. I only say this cause a friend gave me a weird look the other day with how the last chapter went. Felt something needed to be said.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 8 - Rivalry and Revelations

I found myself before Thunder again the day after the last. My body had fully recovered and I felt fitter than I had ever before. This time he had me running laps since I was up to it. He followed along giving me light shocks as I went. They were fairly weak and meant only to give me pause in my running, though after awhile I was able to mostly ignore them without faltering my step. He said that was showing the success of the training and then had me watch some of the pikachu practice fighting with each other for a time while I rested. Watching how they moved and the way they shifted their weight gave me some insight on how I'd have to fight in this form if I was ever in a situation that called for it.

Once I had my breath again he had me jumping around some rocks. Jump as high as I could over each one. I felt like I was a marathon runner trying to prepare for hurdle jumping. My energy ran out quickly during this, mainly because jumping so high was such a completely alien concept to my mind and I had no muscle memory for it at all. I landed on my back more often than not. I loved every moment of it though. I knew I was accomplishing something with this training. Becoming stronger, though it was only the second day. I felt like I was one step closer to achieving my secondary goal here while training with Thunder.

When I was back with my friends Terra leaped at me and wouldn't remove herself from me despite my best efforts. Now that I thought of it, I hadn't talked to her in a couple days now. Despite our usual daily visits with each other. Or rather, her daily lessons for the most part. After hearing her exclamations on how stupid me and Trek were and how much we'd scared her the day before, she finally felt good enough to let go of me. She conked me on the head pretty hard and called me an idiot after that. I just rubbed the sore spot and said sorry for worrying her.

"You'd better be!" She was pouting a bit like she always did, "Trek is only just now on better turns with mother." Giving a brief sigh she smiled at me for the first time since we went to the water hole, "Despite the danger, I am glad you won though. My brother is such a sourpuss, he needed some one to give him a wake up call." She then frowned again, "But don't go thinking I won't make you regret it if you do something like that again."

"Okay okay, you have my promise really. Believe me, it will never happen again." I tried to be as sincere as I could, last thing I wanted was a hyper Terra backing Cirrus up in the future. It'd be like some horrible nightmare from which there'd be no escape.

"What have you been up to the last couple days Stratus? You always look beat up when you come over now, what's going on?" She poked my shoulder where I had landed once after an awkward hop. I flinched a bit but really it was just a mild bruise, so I didn't mind terribly much.

"I was curious about that as well." Trek had decided to join us away from the others it seemed. He looked in a lot higher spirits than before and I was glad to see no hostility towards me in his stance and tone. I never liked having rifts between myself and others, and that ours was seemingly mended made me happy.

"Hi Trek. I've been training with Thunder out at the battle grounds, he made me an offer to help me get stronger my first day. Cirrus and Nimbus felt it would be a good idea. I can feel myself getting stronger even after just the first couple days." I smiled and flexed an arm in a show of bravado. Though it seemed terribly comical from my point of view since it was such a small limb.

"What? You've been out there training with the other pikachu?" Terra looked really surprised at this. "They usually don't have pichu over there except in spring and summer." Trek looked shocked as well but it seemed more directed at himself than me.

"Really? Why is that?" I wasn't to sure about the seasons, I didn't see how that would effect training really. Except maybe winter being to cold with a higher risk of getting really ill.

"Well, with the pichu that are born are usually in spring and summer, so by the time they're ready to be pikachu is usually after a season cycle." She said this as though it explained everything but I was left confused all the same. Seeing my look she tried again, "They train the pichu that are almost pikachu in spring and summer since that's almost their time to evolve. Typically pikachu are preparing for winter in fall and we all focus on surviving in winter to spend time so carelessly." She was just filled with all this information, even Trek was listening intently to her at this point. It was obvious that her mother had to be training her for the future role she'd likely take up.

"Oh, that makes sense," and it did. I guess 'Thunder was giving up his free time for me in this way. I'll have to thank him for it.' Likely, he only said yes because Nimbus asked him, but that doesn't mean I wasn't thankful.

The day went fairly quickly after that. Trek went and joined the others in their games. I could see him pushing himself as hard as he could out there, trying to reach his limits. Terra stayed and chatted with me about the diving game she would be sure to rope me into here in a few days. She also felt the need to badger me endlessly about how I managed to swim so fast and weird like I had. All I could say is that I'd teach her, finally finding something I could show her instead, if she was that interested. I could see her hesitate at first before she readily agreed. I guess she was used to being my pseudo teacher, not my student.

Cirrus and Nimbus mentioned how they were glad that I was on good terms with Trek now. They made it clear with side comments that it'd be hard to have his friendship without either one of us being around to do just that, thus reasserting that concept of 'not ever thinking about doing something like that again'. It was starting to feel like I'll never live that down.

The next day after breakfast, instead of escorting me to Thunder Cirrus just sent me off while Nimbus talked to Amp about the upcoming festival. I guessed that it was only a week or so away now from what I could tell. I just nodded and started to go on my way when I stopped, feeling awfully odd. I stood there in the crisp morning looking at the dew that covered the earth, creating a blanket of shining flora. Something felt extremely awkward with me here alone in the meadow heading to Thunder.

That was it, I was alone. Or rather, not alone but not being escorted. Thinking on it, I had yet to go anywhere by myself thus far. I'd always been guided by someone, usually Cirrus. This was the first time in the week and an half since I'd been changed that I was left to guide myself somewhere. I immediately thanked my adoptive sister. It may have seemed a small privilege to receive, but it filled me with gratitude. I had a sense of my old freedom to direct my own actions back, though just a small portion, it was still there.

I was given a mild surprise when I eventually made it to Thunder, making a stop to the well to get my first unsupervised drink from it. Trek was there with him waiting for me. I can't say I found it truly shocking or anything, it just gave me a moment of pause before I smiled at him. "Morning Trek, I see you decided to take my advice."

"Hmph, something like that." He was grinning at me in reply, "I couldn't stand by and watch you pass me up. I've got to keep my lead instead of allowing you a false sense of hope." Despite his arrogant assertion of dominance over me, I was happy to know that he believed in me getting stronger than even him if I tried. That kind of acknowledgment coming from the more physically capable pichu made me really happy.

"I can see you two have the spirit for this at least. I don't want to hear any complaints from you guys." Thunder looked uneasy at seeing the two of us together under his care. "In case you were wondering Stratus, Trek here talked to his brother about training with us like this. I wasn't about to turn down a request from Lightning. He trained me when I was a pichu." Thunder gave a firm nod, as if to convince himself. I knew this was a burden on him he had to be working twice as much now because of us.

"Thank you Thunder. Really. I know this must be hard on you since you don't have much time to relax. You patrol at night don't you? You only get a couple hours in the afternoon now before you patrol, go to sleep then wake up and come here." I was giving him the most sympathetic and thankful look that I could.

Thunder looked at me for a bit before smiling, "You talk just like Nimbus, did you know that? I shouldn't have been so worried about Cirrus rubbing off on you."

"I'll be sure to tell Nimbus how well you've treated me and helped me along." He blushed and nodded his head at this. I don't think he's used to getting help with his romantic affairs.

"I thank you as well. Even though my bother asked it of you, you were within your rights to refuse his request." Trek gave a bow of his head to Thunder, showing his gratitude.

Thunder laughed for a bit, clearly embarrassed by our attentions, and rubbed at his ears. When he was calmed down he gave a curt nod before assuming his more serious tone. "Since there are two of you, you both can mock fight for a bit from here on. I was worried you'd go without a sparring partner Stratus, since you didn't wait until spring for the others in your group. Since Trek volunteered though, you both can get in a few whacks at one another. Nothing serious now, just trying to improve your combat skills. I'm going to jump in before you two even get close to going crazy on each other."

"I don't think I'll lose myself so completely as to forget that it's just a practice match Thunder." I told him of my doubt that he need be so worried about such a thing. Trek agreed with me on this as well.

"You'd be surprised Stratus. Once you're inflicting pain on each other a lot of folk have a hard time not taking it personally and reacting back in kind. Even if it's just their friend, it's a hard mentality to keep out." He glanced around the terrain and I followed his gaze. The morning haze had lifted and I could once again see the decimated land we were in. There were no pikachu here today so we were alone, but the effects of their battles were hard to miss. Seeing the many scorched and burned out tree's that lay dead, I felt maybe there was some merit to his words. If I was having thousands of volts shot at me I had to wonder how well I'd be able to keep myself in check. Not to mention how quickly pikachu can move also. I imagined trying in vain to keep calm and collected while Swift was going at me with quick attack, agility, and double team whizzing around, my eyes hardly able to keep up with the seemingly invisible attacks. "Okay then you two, lets give it a go. No electrical attacks you got it? You just have no control. You're trying to get stronger, not to hurt yourselves."

I looked at Trek and he gave me a nod. Backing away from each other a bit we stood waiting and watching. I'd never been in a fight before and didn't know what to expect of myself or him. I didn't count the run in with that feraligatr a fight so much as a 'Oh my god I'm dead! Panic!' moment in my life. I had watched enough pokemon to have an idea of their movements and how they attack but I had only looked from an informative point of view at those times. I never figured I'd be fighting one in hand to hand combat like this. I had mace for a reason darn it!

It wasn't a long wait before he came charge at me as fast as he could. I dodged to the side, barely. I'd hesitated a bit acting the part of a stantler caught in headlights. He was already back to me, rebounding off a rock to smack into me. Rebounding off a rock? God, I had no chance, I wouldn't have thought to do that at all. My human limitations on what my body could do compared to the world around me was still persistent in me. Not like jumping several times your height is really an option in day to day life. 'I live on the second floor, I think I'll skip the stairs! How bizzare.'

I kicked him up with my hind legs, tossing him into the air away from me and got back onto my feet. He'd landed on his feet and was already coming back for more. He tried to swing at my face but I stumbled back from him. Darting forward with one foot he flowed into a drop kick to my midsection. The impact was more surprising than painful but I could still feel the air escape me.

My arms snaked out to grab his foot before he could push away from me and pivoted myself on the ground swinging him away in a throw. I at least had basic grappling skills from rough housing with my brother and friends. I wasn't sure of any of the holds I knew though, since my and his anatomy were different than what I was used to.

The conflict continued like this mostly, with him on the offensive and me feebly trying to get what throws and grapples I could in. I had to call it quits when he managed to knock into my head with his own, sending my world spinning. My only triumph was that he was breathing hard and had a scuff on his face from where I managed to pull him in for a kick of my own. It was obvious how much more experience and skill he had from all the time he spent running about with the other pichu everyday.

"That was a good match for you're guy's first time." Thunder was giving us a proud smile almost, happy to see us doing so well. We dragged ourselves to stand in front of him. Well, I dragged, Trek strolled. "It's obvious you need a lot more reflex training Stratus, it's like you hardly know what you can do out there. Though you seem to be above par on grappling. One of our best skills is our speed though, so you need to get working on that sooner than later." I nodded my thanks for his assessment. "Trek, you're in fine shape. Just stay the course really. It may not seem like it, but fighting Stratus here will be of help to your skills despite his weaker combat ability. So don't feel like you're not getting anything out of it. One of the best things about sparring partners is that they naturally begin to look for your weaknesses and you start to adapt and change them, improving your defenses."

"I'll be here everyday to train. Think you can keep up with me Stratus?" He was giving me a hard look, demanding that I say yes. I knew I had been the one to tell him to get stronger. I knew he was filled with determination on this, unwilling to give up.

Nodding solemnly I gave him my own declaration, "I'll be here everyday training to pass you up. Can you keep ahead of me?" I gave him the cheekiest grin that I could produce. I knew it was the beginning of a rivalry between us. I didn't want to turn away though, instead embracing it. We'd both push ourselves trying to surpass the other in a grand competition that held meaning only to us. I'd never had a rival before now, it made me happy and anxious at the same time. 'I won't lose to you Trek!'

He seemed to share my thoughts as he returned my grin with his own.

Patting us both on the shoulder Thunder smiled and told us to rest a bit before we finished with some light exercises. I sank down to the ground and enjoyed the cool touch of the earth on my heated fur. The sun had long since past the horizon and shone down at me, causing me to squint as I looked at the sky. I was a beautiful shade of azure. I almost lost myself into the sight of it, but a question that had been nagging at me since I talked to Terra the other day presented itself now.

"Thunder, I was wondering something." Sitting up I looked at the older chu. He was leaning against a rock, enjoying the quiet morning air. Shifting his head my way he gave me his attention so I could continue, "The pichu come and train in the spring right?" he nodded, "and you said that the parents of pichu usually shock them to increase their resistance right?" Once more he gave me the affirmative, though he was a bit confused at where I could be going with it. "I was just wondering how or when you asked the pichu that want to get trained to fight like this?"

He stared at me for a bit not really comprehending what I meant. "Err... when the time comes we just have the group of pichu came here and train rather than play in the meadow. You're guy's group will be here in spring, like you would have been if either of you had wanted to wait."

"Yes, I got that, but what I meant was how do they decide on training? Like, do you ask them if they want to fight and such?" By now Trek was looking at me weird also. It was frustrating, I thought it was a simple question. "What about the pichu that don't want to fight and train like this then I mean, how do you guys handle them?"

"Huh? Well, many are reluctant at first but every pichu goes through training. That's why we bring the whole group here." He felt that answered it but that left me confused.

"Surely there are some that don't want to learn to fight or go through the hardships associated with it, what of them?" I was trying to grasp for my thoughts on this, not truly comprehending the context of this conversation as much as I'd like. I felt as though I was missing pieces to a jigsaw puzzle that were dire for recognizing it's picture.

"He just said some are reluctant didn't he?" Trek looked like he was getting annoyed by what seemed a futile line of questioning.

"So what? Even if they don't want to they all train?" I felt like this would give my answer. What of the pichu that didn't want to fight. They'd have to say how they grouped them apart with this statement.

"Well yes Stratus, all of the pichu are trained." He was giving me a bewildered look as I tried to fully process this statement.

It suddenly clicked though, it all made sense to me now. They were all trained to fight as they had said. I hadn't been thinking of it in the terms they were. I was thinking of pichu and pikachu that wanted to go different routes with their life. Such as being a caretaker or picking berries in the grove. Other classifications so to speak. It was obvious how wrong this assumption had been. They were all trained, like it or not.

This made my heart grow cold. They were all trained as soldiers no matter what they wanted to do. They all had to be trained to fight and even kill if necessary. It was a horrible thought, I could barely keep myself from dry heaving. There weren't any civilian pokemon in the wild, they were all fighters. They may do other things later on but they were all trained and hardened for combat. I could see all those children that wanted to play being forced into such a militant setting. It must be hard on the parents and adults to do this to their young but it was the key to survival out here. They had to be strong or they'd be dead.

Me and Trek were here because we both had a desire to gain strength, despite the pain. I wasn't sure if I could so easily take a life but I'd definitely push myself to my limits. We were here because we wanted to be, what of the ones that were weak of heart and didn't want to though. This thought almost brought me to tears, knowing that they held no such luxury of being a civilian like so many humans do.

It was rather illogical to think this wasn't how it was now that I had the answer in front of me. Did no one wonder why every pokemon had basic fighting skills in the wild? How every pokemon a trainer caught could hold it's own. Perhaps we'd thought it was instinct, and I'm sure it is to a degree, but obviously we didn't have a full scope of the situation. We knew pokemon could communicate with each other and displayed a level of sentience. So it stands to reason they'd be able to teach their young combat rather than just relying on instinct.

They were both silently watching me but I paid them no heed, for the time being I could only dwell on the hard truth of this. Eventually, we stopped our rest and ran laps around some tree's until our legs felt like jelly. Thunder sent us on our way and we were more than happy to leave. On the way to my sisters, Trek stopped by the well, I had to agree with his choice and took several satisfying gulps as well.

"Thanks Stratus." That was surprising, friendship or no. I didn't figure I'd hear something like that from him. "You've only been here for a short time, but you've done more than any other." He left it at that. I just followed him silently back to the awaiting pichu.

Cirrus stood up and greeted us as we arrived, "Ho ho, have fun did we? You two certainly look the part." She gave Trek a once over before smirking at me, "Looks like you lost to a machop sport."

"Thanks for the concern Cirrus." It was the best sarcastic reply I could think of at the moment to give to counter her jibe. Turning instead to Nimbus I gave Thunder my promised sentiment, "Thunder is a great teacher you know Nimbus. Thanks for getting him to help me like that. He's patient and always helpful in pointing out how I can improve." I beamed a smile of satisfaction to her, hoping she took the bait.

"That's wonderful Stratus, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself with him. I guess this puts Cirrus's worry to rest." Nimbus just smiled while I slumped in defeat. 'I tried Thunder, I tried.' I could make out Cirrus blanching and mock choking a little ways from me. Sometimes I wonder if it was some kind of spasm when she talked to Swift that one time about venturing to the cliffs. From what I've seen she acts more the part of a kid than him.

"I'll see you tomorrow Stratus." With that, Trek had gone to join the others. He was still full of energy I had spent. Maybe I'll be able to join after a bit, but for now I still needed to catch my second wind. Third if you counted the rest between my match and my laps. Nimbus decided I was a bit too scruffy in the mean time though and I once again endured a cleaning.

"When am I going to be able to do this on my own?" I eventually asked amidst her task.

"Do you not like it that much?" She seemed a bit sad at this so I quickly said otherwise.

"No, it's nice. I would just like to be able to clean myself you know? Be more independent I guess is all..." I hoped that satisfied her for an answer.

"I can understand that. You'll be able to once you're a pikachu. As it is, you just don't have long enough arms and legs to properly reach about your head and back." I supposed that was true enough.

END Chapter 8 - Rivalry and Revelations

Parting Author Note: Some may be wondering why the pichu don't seem to be acting as young as they should. I basically grouped Jek with the older soon to be pikachu children. There are infant pichu, but I figured they'd be in a den being nipple fed still and the like. I know I pointed out there being several groups of pichu around the meadow right? It seemed right to me that the pikachu would group them by age so they'd be with their peers for better growth. Like how we have grades in school. You pretty much almost can't get held back in grade school unless you try real hard at it. It's more age than knowledge till middle school. Since Pikachu are supposed to be adults, I figured the older Pichu would be near the beginning of high school or late middle school. Especialy considering pokemon 'age' faster since they are the animals of this world. At least, that's the premise I'm operating under. It's a new frontier gentlemen!

One more Yeee Haw! And I'm good to go. Till next time!


	9. Progress and Risk

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Howdy Y'all! Goin' a bit crazy over here, but I still have lots to go, so I'll hang tight. Was pretty busy today so the update was a bit slow in coming.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 9 - Progress and Risk

"Hah!" I swung down as hard as I could with both paws but missed horribly. He's getting better at darting out as soon as he's finished his attack. I've been getting more apt at dodging his strikes and countering but it's hard when he just darts in and out. Trying to take the fight to him ends up with him out maneuvering me until he has the advantage. It's difficult keeping up with this naturally born rodents pace. I say rodent only because pikachu are classified as mice and at the moment one is making me very frustrated.

"You'll never win with speed like that!" Trek was already coming back for another strike. I just couldn't keep up with this kind of pace with rational thought. My reflex's and combat instinct was darn near nil. If it wasn't for my being able to plan out attacks and read through some of his maneuvers, I'd be completely useless.

He feigned kicking me to instead head butt me away, my arm placed to block a kick waved about trying to regain my balance from the surprising attack. Grabbing it he sent me rolling away with a light toss. He's been learning some of my grappling skills. I'm no judo master but it's not like it's hard to do basic tosses and trips when you've seen them a couple times. Which worked to his benefit also, slowly ebbing away at my one advantage.

To my credit, my stamina was greatly improved from what it had been before. Almost a week had passed since we started this daily routine. I'd show up with him already there warming up, then we'd leap at each other until I had to call it or Thunder separated us. One time was from him coming down from high up after kicking up a bunch of dust in my face(something I did to him first) and giving a strong downward kick to my head.

The next we both got each other in arm holds and were struggling so hard our electricity started to go out of control while we flailed against each others leverage. Another because I bit his ear trying to thwart him from tossing me. I still couldn't believe I had done that. I just saw the ground swiveling around me and it looked like I was going to get released towards some wayward sticker bushes; Then I was tumbling about with him as his balance was thrown off after releasing me and having me clamped to his appendage.

His ear was mostly undamaged, nothing permanent, but it was bleeding all the same. I spent most of the morning after that rinsing my mouth out to remove the taste of his blood. It'd been a grimy copper taste. While not horrible, it tasted like my own blood the few times I'd bit my lip and I had been indifferent to it taste wise, the knowledge of what it was and how I'd gotten it into my mouth made me up-chuck some of my breakfast and spend the rest of the time at the well.

Thunder explained it was a feral urge that came up in stressful combat situations. 'Kicking and Screaming' is what he nicknamed it. When pokemon get to a state where they're mentally pushed to their limits, the survival instincts they('we' now I guess, as I had proven the day before) all had would take over. More often than not it was only momentary, but he'd seen a rare few completely lose their mental state to this.

Grabbing a rock I threw it at him to divert his up coming charge and pitched myself forward to slam into him with my head being used as a battering ram. This turned out to be a poor idea since he simply grabbed the back of my head and pushed me below him thus letting me slide painfully across the dirt under his weight. Hopping off of me he stood at ready getting back his lost breath.

I pushed myself up, arms wobbling under my weight. This was so frustrating, every time I thought I'd come up with a clever new tactic to use on him he'd counter, overcome, or copy it. I'm always left trying to catch up no matter what I try. The best example would be when I had dropped down on all fours and tried to kick him with both feet like ponyta's do only to have him duck under then do it to me! 'Darnit, this is impossible.' I feared how much more intense these fights would get when we could actually employ proper attacks with focused energy.

Several of the younger pikachu had taken to watching us fight. I guess the two of us going at it was fairly intense compared to what they were used to seeing, and proved interesting more often than not. With Trek being a natural born warrior from the herd heads and me fighting with unorthodox tactics. They would be hollering after awhile when things picked up and excited them. Until their raichu director would walk over and tell them to get back to training and stop lallygagging anyway. Currently a couple of them were cheering at Trek for his quick thinking, a few telling me not to give up.

"Don't tell me you're done yet." He was breathing hard, gathering himself for the next confrontation. Clearly scuffed up but otherwise ready to go. He held none of the tell tale signs of exhaustion as I did.

"What? Not done batting me around yet?" I gave a sarcastic drawn out chuckle while breathing heavily, my muscles trying to re-oxidize themselves.

"I'll never get tired of it." There was that mocking grin of his, trying to egg me onwards. I wasn't about to disappoint, I had a bit more in me.

---------------------------------

"Trek has been even more serious than before, he hardly does anything fun nowadays." Terra was currently telling me her woes. "He was the only sibling I had that was at least remotely fun but now even he's gone. You didn't do anything to him did you Stratus? I still haven't forgiven you for the last water hole trip so if you did you'll be in for double mister!" The look that was delivered clearly stated that there would be hell to pay if I had.

Terra hadn't forgiven me for not being able to play as a diver as she was so set upon. When the next trip to the pond had come up, me and Trek were excluded, we wouldn't be going to the pond until spring it sounded like. Instead they pulled us over to the well, splashed us with water till we were soaked, and groomed us for awhile before soaking us again. It had been two sisters of Trek's that I hadn't known about yet. Teal and Penta, siblings of Lightning. Penta was a raichu and Teal a pikachu still. After they'd finished, we were sent on our way, and I was happy to leave their company, both of them were like frosty air on a winters morning. Always keeping you on edge and never letting you relax, instead wearing your throat hoarse. They'd just been over bearing and extremely proper, Penta had even corrected my posture a couple times telling me it was the correct way for a pichu to stand. Not that I would know but it's not like it should matter right?

"Do something to him? What could I have possibly done to him? He's just been getting into combat training is all." I really hoped she bought this and more so never heard about me and Trek's talk the week prior. "If anything I should be the one that's upset, he's been focusing all that energy towards me in the mornings." I nursed my arm a bit to remind her of my sorry state. That boy has no mercy. I don't mind since it's pushing me to break my limits, but it didn't mean he wasn't scary focused about getting stronger. At this rate he'd be a chip off his father's block before long, and I hoped I wouldn't be the sacrifice to see that happen.

"I guess so." She looked doubtful for a bit and it was all I could do to retain my confused anguished face. "I hope he gets past it soon though. Last thing I want is another Lightning for a brother. Always at home watching proceedings or off visiting other pokemon in the area. Don't get me started on Teal and Penta either." She made a face at the mention of her two older sisters. Having run into them the other day I could understand why she was so aghast.

"Seems like you have a lot of siblings." I felt a little jealous at first before I realized how much trouble I had with just the one, let alone so many more.

Terra looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "A lot of siblings? I only have four, what are you talking about?"

This had me confused before I thought about how pikachu had litters unlike the one child at a time of my original species. "Ah, I just meant compared to me I guess..." I tried to save myself from the ridicule. It would be odd if a person asked me how many were born in my litter, so I guessed it'd be the same vice versa.

She became crestfallen, her ears flattening, "I'm sure you'll remember your siblings eventually." I guess my mentioning the lack of actual family here reminded her of my 'amnesia', thus inadvertently making her feel bad.

"Sorry, didn't mean to pull you into a tale of woe or anything." I didn't like people feeling sorry for me, so someone feeling bad over a fake problem made me feel horrid.

"It's true though isn't it? Almost three weeks and you still don't recall anything." Her sympathetic look made me feel like a mightyena in a flaffy's fleece, deceiving the pure creature.

"It's fine really, I'm happy here is what matters." I gave her a bright smile, hoping to cast the shadows of her doubt away. I wasn't lying either, it was a sincere statement. I really was happy here. These people were so nice and close, it was really refreshing.

"Well, alright then." Immediately she was back to being perky and cheerful. She shifts her personality around so much I can't help but feel she was a bit off sometimes. "Are you excited?"

"Excited? About what?" It was a sudden shift in topic I wasn't prepared for, though a familiar occurrence with her.

"The festival you big dope!" She looked mildly irritated that I could possibly have forgotten about it.

I made an 'O' shape with my mouth and nodded my head. "Right, the festival. Of course I'm looking forward to it. I'm not sure what it'll be like though." I'd heard some about it, but it didn't seem too much different from my own homes harvest festival that came right before winter. A day focused around being together and celebrating the years success before a new year came after the snowy months that followed.

"I was still in the den when they had it last year, but from what I've been told it's simply marvelous. The lunar flowers only blossom during the colored moon. Their dew is supposed to be the sweeter than a bedrill's honey!" She was then lost to the fantasy of tasting some of said liquid. "That's not all! Chu's also give each other things as well!"

That gave me a bit of a start. 'A gift exchange?' I wasn't aware they had a concept of possessions like that. 'Did they get each other shiny rocks or something?' I laughed at the concept a bit, I simply had doubts about the level this ritual could possibly be at.

She noticed my mild confusion and elaborated, "You get something nice for someone you appreciate, or like, or just about anything. Not everyone does it, it's only for a special reason. Dad got Mom a bloomed kelpsy berry last year. I was fast asleep though... oh, how I wish I could have seen it!" I see, they get each other something unusual or special as a show of appreciation. I guess that's really no different than how it was with people.

'I shouldn't have mocked them just now. It was extremely rude of me to look down on their culture assuming mine was better.' I didn't like doing that sort of thing, even if it wasn't verbal. I always had to hear my Dad going on about the different places he had to go to and how silly some of the ceremonies and such were. I felt it was wrong to look down on something that held meaning for others and it disturbs me that I'd follow that example at all. I did keep it to myself before recognizing the nature of the thought, but I don't want my mind to think like that in any way.

"It sounds wonderful." I gave her my acquiesce that I was indeed looking forward to it. She was almost trembling from her excitement, I had to suppress a laugh. It looked like she had to go to the bathroom with how much she was moving around and fidgeting.

"It is! I wish I could get my parents something but I can't think of anything I could get around here that wouldn't be a disappointment to receive." Once more she was pouting at the injustices of her life.

Thinking for a moment, and looking about the fall struck field, I took stock of what her options might be. Fallen leaves brushed lightly across the ground, living through the winds blessing. The trees held nothing in the branches now, they had finally shed their burdens in the waning days of the last week. Seeing the wild flowers that still clung to life like weeds I was inspired. "Why don't you make your mother a flower circle to wear on her head for the festival? Your father will like seeing it on her also I'll bet."

"A what?" She once more looked at me with her a skewed gaze wondering what I could possibly be going on about. "A flower circle? What's that?" Putting her confusion aside she sought more information and this possible gift that could save her from going a year without showing her appreciation to her parents in this manner.

"Ahhh... it's a um... circle that you make with flowers." I let out lamely. I didn't have a much better way to describe. I'd seen several of my neighbors making them in grade school, they seemed simple enough really. They had talked me into making one for my mother even, though I didn't find it all that great.

"So what, make a circle of flowers on the ground and then use my psychic abilities to keep them from falling apart?" She looked miffed now, as though I had been playing her the fool. I hadn't realized she held a dry wit like that.

"No no, you can fold the stems on each other to hold them together. Here, I'll help you make one." So I made her follow me to the flowers and I began showing her the crude basics that I could vaguely remember. 'Not like it's advanced algebra, I can guess at how to do it without much trouble.' By the time we were done she was staring at what she felt was the most incredible thing ever, or at least close to it. I'm sure the lunar flowers blossoming will take this position very soon yet.

"This is amazing! How did you learn to do something like this? Did you remember where you'd been? Did you stay at a grass pokemons place? How di-"

Laughing and trying to silence her with my gestures as best I could, "I'm glad you like it so much. No my memories haven't changed at all. It's not like this is anything specific or special to hold in my mind, it just came to me suddenly while looking around. Maybe, more will follow it soon." I'd gotten really good at this misleading thing. I even felt a sense of pride in my choice of words. Though all the same, I was once again feeling like a heel for using such deceit once again. Even worse now actually since I'd felt a sense of pride at my well oiled skills.

She nodded vaguely while staring at the simple circle of flowers held together by it's stems. "This is such an odd thing. You're so weird Stratus. You do things so different than us, is that how pichu outside the colony are?" I really had no answer for her and simply shrugged as much to her. She turned her apt attention back to the circlet. Various colored flowers peeked out of it's sides, simple yet elegant jewels from natures bounty. I think in a rural setting like this something like that would be extremely rare and appreciated. I didn't figure they knew how to make such a thing considering her reaction to it. "This is perfect. Thank you Stratus!" She hugged me and then went jumping off to show all her other friends.

I could only smile a bit as she waved it around bragging about her perfect gift. The others badgered her about how she did it but she kept the secret to herself promising to share it after the the harvest moon. I gave a soft sigh and settled myself back into my by now comfortable spot. This patch of flora showed the signs of consistent use, lying flat in the various positions I'd rested on it over the course of my stay. 'Gifts huh?' This made me think of Nimbus and Cirrus. It'd be nice if I could get them something. 'I've only known them for a few weeks now, but...' I didn't really know what to make of my feelings. It seemed as though we bonded so quickly, almost too well. I couldn't really figure out what it was but... it truly felt like this place was home to me now. I was getting stronger and more capable so I would be able to go to the cave soon. If I did though, I would possibly be human once more and I'd never see them again. Trek nor Terra either... even Thunder had become a friend to me. All of them... I'd lose all their friendships.

'Would that be all right?' My heart felt heavy and I had no answers. Never before had I felt so attached to a place. Not once while in the wilderness had I felt homesick, but now just the thought of leaving this community left me feeling sad. I knew I couldn't live as a chu like this though. I could, but I just had so much more I wanted to do with my life. That's what it came down to, my ambitions and goals in life versus my heart. I could feel the two aspects conflicting but eventually ignored them when no resolution seemed forth coming.

--------------------------

Rather than having us fight today, Thunder decided to simply do regular exercises. I think it was mainly cause he felt I'd need another day to recover myself from the last. I had to agree with him on that. I could feel how worn out I was still, worse than the other days. I guess after all the punishment, even a nights rest can't fully restore you're vitality when you go to far. He mainly had us running and jumping around, getting us to increase our stamina and keep our bodies from getting too stiff from all the sudden jerking motions we did every day when we fought.

It was amidst a tree climbing routine that I saw someone I hadn't since my first day. Swift had turned up and was waving Thunder down. "Hoy there Thunder!" His deep voice once boomed out in greeting. Deep compared to the others anyway. Not as deep as Raiden's had been though. I stopped climbing and jumping down the tree to come over to Thunder, curious what was going on. Trek was soon to join me with curiosity of his own.

"Hey Swift, what brings you over to my miniature training regiment?" Thunder crossed his arms and seemed puzzled at Swifts sudden appearance before us. I hadn't seen these two talk before so I can understand Thunder's assumption that it was a business call. I couldn't imagine the two chu's being close friends.

"Just wanted to say hello to ya dude! If it ain't Trek and even the little guy Cirrus has in tow most the day. How's it goin' guys? Word around the camp is that you two are quiet the feisty little fighters over here." He gave us a toothy smile at this. I knew he was a bit of a trouble maker but he seemed like an alright fellow to me. "I see you didn't want to take my advice and wait to grow up Stratus. You're well on your way to being a pikachu at this rate."

"Thanks!" Despite being tired I couldn't help my cheerful grin at this acknowledgment. Trek just nodded slightly.

"Ah kid, you shouldn't be so happy. I'm telling ya, it ain't all that great." He gave a small sigh and shrugged before turning back to Thunder. "So man, you looking forward to the festival? Going to finally get Nimbus to notice you?"

Thunder blushed and sputtered a bit at the mention of his romantic flop of a life. "I.. well... a gift for Nimbus... I'm not sure I could find a good one." He was stammering horribly. How such a level guy could break down so easily at the mention of the female pikachu I doubt I'll ever understand. Actually, I hoped I never understood. I don't have any loves at the moment and if this is what it does to you I'd rather keep it that way. Though, from what I understand, you really don't have a choice in the matter.

"I know of a good gift that'd be sure to clue her in on ya." Okay, this sounded like a sales pitch. It's gone from a friendly 'hello' to what seems like a shady deal.

Thunder seemed skeptical himself, much to his credit in my eyes. "You do huh? What would that be exactly?"

"A few weeks ago Shock and I found ourselves a couple gummi down at the cliffs." Oh boy, not this again.

"Are you mad? The cliffs? That's asking for a bunch of fearow to come down with vengeance and peck your ears off! It'd be hard to give a gummi to Nimbus when I can't walk among the living anymore. I'd rather not meet up with her as a ghastly thank you." Thunder wasn't playing any games here. I'm glad he's so down to earth and realistic, I could relate to him in that.

"That's the sweet thing about it Thunder. The fearow up and left their nest area awhile ago, when we were down there none of those flying pests were in sight. I've checked a couple times and it's the same thing. Me, him and a few others are going down there tomorrow morning to see what we can find. I figured I'd share the wealth with y'all." He was smiling, quiet proud of his little temptation presentation.

"I'll bet you just want back up in case a rock or ground type enemy shows up." Thunder gave him a dubious look that sent Swift into a nervous chuckle.

"Well, safety in numbers and all." He scratched at his cheek a bit in response to Thunder's scrutiny.

"Hmm, it is tempting... I watch the kids here every every morning though, so it's hardly like I could get away without catching some notice. Group or no, it's not as though we'd be in the clear if people found out about it before we actually went. After the fact there's not much trouble we could get into really." Thunder had a look of defeat and I truly felt then how much of a burden I must be to him.

"Eh? How's that a problem? They can come with us!" Swift spread his arms wide as if to invite all of us rather than just Thunder.

I gasped out at this. "Eh!? No way! With how mad Cirrus got at you for going that one time I'd be sure to get it even worse! Especially after the pond!" Visions of a dark future sent me spiraling down in a never ending cyclone of depression. I could almost feel a rain cloud above me drenching me in negativity.

Swift looked at me funny, obviously having expected me to welcome the adventure. "Eh? It's not like you'll be going alone. It'll be under adult supervision which is alright. There'll be like ten of us almost kid, no worries at all." He was grinning again and waved my concerns aside as if that made it all okay. "Sides, wouldn't you like to get your aunties some nice gummi for the harvest festival?" Well, 'sisters' rather than aunts but... he was good at this, I'd been worrying about that for a little while now. I really did want to get them something, but I doubted they'd appreciate receiving a gift when I had risked myself once again. 'I would be with a lot of stronger chu's though, so it's not like I'd be defenseless... Ack! No, resist!'

"I'd like to see the cliffs." Trek's silent and firm declaration came forth. I whipped my head around to stare at him so fast I almost gave myself whiplash. 'He can't be serious.'

"There see? That's the sense of adventure I was expecting!" Swift was all smiles at Trek now, glad to finally have one of us swayed to his side.

"Are you serious Trek? How do you think your father will take knowing you'd gone out into hostile territory like that?" I had to try and dissuade him from this course. It just could not end well.

"He'll be upset and punish me if he finds out, but I can't let that suffocate me. I won't get stronger if I always follow the rules and stay under my father's roof." He glared at me, insulted that I had even asked him that at all. I guess he figured I would, of all people, understand that. I think he was a bit put off by my nay saying, probably expecting me to be one of the first to jump in. "I want to see more of this land, of what's out there. I won't stay sheltered forever."

"Becoming stronger doesn't mean being reckless though Trek. Being reckless only earns a man a fools end." I'd heard that in a fortune one time and it kind of stuck in my head, I reminded myself of it every time I felt my patience wane.

"All the greatest rewards in life are won through taking chances Stratus. You can't reach the unreachable if you never try." Dang that Swift, this isn't what I need right now. Part of me had to begrudgingly admit to his counter to my own statement being very good. 'He's a wily one alright.'

I stared at Trek long and hard. I didn't agree with this at all, but I really couldn't bring myself to turn him down. I felt I'd not only lose a friend but falter this spark of determination that had been lit within him. If I said no now it'd possibly be even worse, he may try to go there with no one at all. I could only hope that I'd be able to help him survive this lesson when it came about. That sort of thing always does, it's just a matter of time.

Bowing my head I gave my okay, "I'll go with you guys then. I don't want to hold anyone back."

END Chapter 9 - Progress and Risk

Parting Author Note: My wrists actually hurt from the constant typing, thus I'm going to take a day to give them a break. Sorry dudes.

Yet another Yee Haw! and I'm once more good to go. Seeya next time! (i.e friday)


	10. Worry and Sisters

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: We now return to the regularly scheduled program. I just want to make sure people know I actually do plan this stuff out, I don't know the meaning of a plot hole. You'll come to see this in time. Bwhahahah!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 10 - Worry and Sisters

Swift laid out the meeting specifics and told us who all were going. I held my head low throughout the meeting, I couldn't help the feeling of dread that hung over me. I felt I'd been roped into something not nearly as easy or simple as those that surrounded me thought and I stood alone with this opinion. After Swift had left, and Thunder decided to end our session early, I shook my unease from me as best I could. It may get tough but no sense being so down about it. I really didn't like dwelling on negative things for very long, nothing good ever comes of it and you just end up even more unhappy.

Instead, I thought to what the trip would entail. What I could gather from Swifts description, the cliffs were located very near Mt. Moon and were situated right next to a ravine or crevice. It can't be too large since it's not on the map that I could remember seeing. That didn't mean it wasn't going to be large comparatively though. Thinking about all the possible positive and negative scenario's that could play out started to give me a headache. Instead I turned my attention to the well which had come to be a bit of a resting area between groups for me and Trek. Several pikachu would come and go paying us little mind, having grown used to seeing the two wayward pichu's lounging near the refreshing waters bank.

The air seemed to cool as it flowed over the well, it always helped calm my system down after so much stress. Today I hadn't seen the normal amount of wear and tear that I did normally, so I wasn't as desperate for my 'fix' as it were. Trek was staring off into the water as he normally did, likely deep in thought. When he was making snide remarks I hadn't known he could be so quiet and introvert. It felt as though he'd removed himself from his other acquaintances in our little pichu pack. It hadn't seemed as though he was particularly close to any of them however.

This road he seems to be following, I had a sense of guilt since I'd pointed him down it. At the same time though, it's not that he's a different person, simply that he's become almost painfully focused. I hadn't meant to do so much in such a short time. I was mainly talking about the long run, but I don't think patience is his fortè. I felt uneasy staring at his back while pondering, instead turning my gaze to the well. Large orange leaves drifted across the water, tiny vessels bereft of their homes. They littered the well's surface and many could be seen littering it's bottom, though only barely due to it's blue complexion the further down you gazed. The sky was mostly clear but the atmosphere was getting heavy. In effect, there was a high chance of rain on the horizon, literally.

"When we're out there tomorrow, we may run into trouble." His statement cut through the silence, simple and direct.

"Really? I hadn't thought of that." The sarcasm oozed from my voice like some pungent disease seeking to infest another. I was usually fairly good at keeping my agitation to myself but this whole thing had me on edge and he was partially to blame. 'It'll be a nice stroll with a bunch of irresponsible pikachu. I'm sure we'll have a lovely time being forgotten in their search for some tasty treats.' I managed to keep this to myself, forgoing a conflict at least. It felt wrong to think of Thunder as irresponsible after I'd held that thought, he was simply blinded by love I guess. I was agitated with him but would still hold his character higher than the others.

"I noticed." His voice matched my own. Obviously I had disappointed him by not being more excited at the prospect.

"I'm sure." Our short replies were like a fencers thrust as we fought each other. Each of us going for the first blood, or rather for the first to concede. Finally he turned around to face me. It was actually with a look of mild concern that he regarded me. 'What's this about now?'

"I was just going to say that if we do run into anything get to the pikachu and raichu okay?" That seemed an obvious course of action to take. I didn't quite follow his line of thought.

"I'd assumed that was a given for the both of us." I made sure he realized I meant that neither of us should try to handle ourselves alone.

"Maybe..." He looked thoughtful before continuing, "I can move fairly quickly, it shouldn't be too much trouble. You on the other hand are not so lucky." It almost seemed like he wanted to tell me something secret but then decided not to after some thought. "I'm just saying not to get caught in a dire situation like with that feraligatr." Oh what nerve.

"You mean before or after he almost chomped down on you too?" I gave him a flat stare at this, obviously he remembered things a bit differently.

Growling he stood up and dusted himself off, "That was in the water, on land I'll be harder to catch. You won't be so lucky, nor will you have the water to help you."

"Help me? What do you mean by that? I didn't move fast enough in the water for it to have helped much against that thing." I stood up myself, smoothing out the leaf flakes that had clung to my tail.

"Yes, you shocked that feraligatr didn't you?" He was giving me an intent look, thinking something or other in relation to my not seeing this as I was obviously supposed to.

"Well sure, I got panicked and some energy flew from me. It was more a surge of desperation really." Thinking of my electricity, I realized it hadn't really been affecting me lately. I was less embarrassed these days so that helped but even then, I don't remember the last time I'd used these electrical sacks in my cheeks. 'Wait, there was that time Thunder had to pull us apart...' So once in the last week or so that I recalled. That was odd, though I hadn't been playing with the other pichu lately, being to tired from the morning. Maybe all that beat down tired exercising was spending the pent up energy or making me too tired for it to really become an issue. "That reminds me, why is it we can't fight each other with electricity but we play tag with it?"

Trek stared at me silently for awhile. Obviously I'd not only derailed his thoughts, but also surprised him with this question too. "You really don't know anything do you?" That's pretty rude. I could feel a frown begin to crease my face, 'Focused is one thing, being a jerk agian is another.' I was about to give him an earful of as much when he shook his head and stopped me with his hand.

"I'm sorry, you simply caught me off guard and I insulted you with my poor choice of words. I meant only to declare once more my surprise that you were so ignorant to the way of things." Well, that was fairly sincere and I couldn't argue with being called ignorant. My frown was quickly displaced as I waited for him to continue, "When pokemon fight they have battle instincts. These cause us to push ourselves further than we'd normally go, which would likely end up with us severely hurting ourselves if we were using our attacks. In a game where you're just having fun, that kind of mentality doesn't come up for the most part. The watching pikachu are there to prevent damage if it does. That's actually part of the reason I thought you didn't like me to begin with. How else would you get so focused on hurting me?" With speeches like this I could see what Terra had meant about her siblings being so regal and proper. I knew Lightning and his fraternal twins were, but obviously she'd meant all of them. Likely the older siblings had been trained that way where as Trek and Terra were less strictly taught. I could easily see Trek copying his brother to prove his stature to his father, more so since Lightning didn't act the part all the time.

"Oh... I see." I always felt like I was the sap that came into a play halfway and was hopelessly trying to figure out what was happening while everyone around me just continues to watch with knowing expressions. I had hurt myself pretty bad when that happened, I remember being laid out for the whole afternoon after that. Then his words dawned on me, "Is that what you're trying to say? You're concerned I'll get into another position where I use my shock? Only without water for it to go into towards the other, I'd be one of it's main targets." I wasn't all that heavily learned in physics outside of some basics in middle school. I mainly covered some biology so I'd have an idea of what makes pokemon tick as a whole. Some of their basic functions with attacks they used and such. I didn't stay long enough to cover anything other than the basic course, and it was filled with generic information I'd gather elsewhere previously regardless. A disappointing class over all.

"Something to that affect. When you hit me then, it hurt more than any of the other pichu had ever hit me." He was giving me a calculating look now as if sharing something he'd seen, that I nor anyone else had, "Don't get a big head, but I think your electric attacks are where you'll be pulling your weight. I think our real fights will begin when we're both evolved. Just don't take too long in changing after me." He was giving me that usual cocky smirk again.

"Eh?" Having been beaten by him every day for about a week now, it was hard to imagine him saying I'd pack some kind of punch in any note worthy range. "You just said all the other pichu didn't really get focused like that when they play though. So it's not like you've really been shocked hard by them before."

He got agitated a bit at my contradicting his possible hope for a better sparring partner in the future, or just his conclusion over all. I wasn't sure which. "There have been times other than that when someone's gotten too intense in games. Besides that, there was also the feraligatr. You shocked and turned him away. Obviously you didn't do any permanent damage but the fact that he was detoured still remains."

"He's a water pokemon though, of course my electricity would cause him trouble." That made perfect sense to me, but Trek just seemed to go more frustrated.

"He was also a powerful, fully evolved pokemon that would have no trouble shrugging off weak attacks, electricity or not. More so, my Dad has told me of how each pokemon has their own specialties and such. That there could be several of any species that all had varying degree's of how well they could do the same thing."

That made a lot of sense considering how similar humans are in this respect. We all have our own range of skills and abilities. It was just hard thinking of pokemon being different when they all looked so identical to each other. 'That's likely why so many believe shiny pokemon to be stronger, since they look different, or are "special" as it were.' I was about to continue protesting but he waved me away, finishing the thought he'd wanted to get out from the start, "I'm just saying... be careful alright? I don't want you to be a gimp before our real matches can begin. So don't fry yourself out in some conflict or anything."

"Thanks for the concern, I'll be sure to keep that in mind." I was being sarcastic but he let it slide. I guess he'd said what he wanted and felt our conversation was done. It was a bit annoying to think that he felt me to be in that much more danger than himself, but at the same time I was a bit flattered that he thought I'd be more likely to hurt myself than anything else. Something to that degree anyway, it was a confusing line of thought really. Being able to do something well could be your downfall and all. The idea that I'd have some kind of strength combat wise was a pleasant hope to hold onto as well. That'd be a nice turn of events. 

-----------------------------

I really didn't feel up to playing any games today, lack of exercise or no, too much weighed on my mind. Above me the sky seemed to mirror my thoughts. An overcast was rolling in from the south, likely carried here from the ocean. I could just make out the clouds scraping past Mt. Moon in the distance. Possible rain tomorrow, just one more thing for me to dwell on for the upcoming trip.

I sat up and looked around the meadow at the various pichu and pikachu about their daily routine. I'd grown accustomed to the sight for the most part by now. The pichu bouncing around trying to overcome the others, pikachu either trying to relax or going about whatever business they held. From what I understood a number of excursions were being made to stockpile some food for winter since that was the couple of months that their berry patch would be incapacitated.

The knoll was covered in many pikachu gathering up the drying leaves to use in their dens. 'I guess you need to change out the bed mat? Carpet? Flora blanket?' I wasn't sure what you'd call it. I simply thought of the insulation we slept on every night needing to get replaced once in awhile. Plants do decompose and all, so after awhile you're bed would be dirt if you didn't. Not really something you'd think about unless it was relevant to you.

I could see Nimbus scolding Jolt in our little troop. He'd gone and head butted Hilly while trying to capture some of her leaf pile. They were playing a game where there were four teams and each had made a pile of leaves. Each team had it's seekers and defenders, the goal was for your team to have the largest pile before the game ended. You could gather some from the surrounding area, you could be ambushed at any time and your leaves taken, or you could get more from the other piles. Simple yet chaotically fun, I had to admit. Looking at them from the distance, watching them play for a time, these chu's did have some fun games. As a human I'd feel foolish diving for someones pile of leaves and trying to dart away with as much as I could hold but with increased physical reflexes and the diminutive size, I saw it in a different light. I'd never gotten to involved with any of the sports people played at school aside from P.E and those hadn't interested me. I've barely played with them either, however, so perhaps I'm just not much of a sportsman.

Seeing Nimbus reminded me that I had barely talked or spent time around her or Cirrus aside from the mornings and evenings as of late. Even then, I was usually so out of it we didn't talk a whole lot. I felt bad that I'd been perhaps neglecting their attentions, being dead tired or not. I stood up and began to march my way from the spot I'd grown accustomed to resting in to join Cirrus at their perch.

She saw me coming and gave me a smile, "Well here's an unexpected sight. I figured you'd gone and turned into a wall flower on us." Taking a seat next to her I looked out over the rest of our afternoon social gathering, watching them continue their battle royalè. I could see Trek acting as a defender, using it as a chance to practice his own grappling skills to deflect incoming pichu.

"I think I did for a while there. Sorry about that." I should have realized I wasn't talking to them that much these days, I'll bet they thought I was mad about them setting me up in the mornings after the whole feraligatr business. "I've just been so preoccupied with my own thoughts and resting between sessions I hardly felt I was here at all."

"I noticed there sport, from what I hear you seem to be doing pretty well. I'll bet Trek is still walking all over ya though. But hey! No pain no gain! Right?" Grinning at me, she proceeded to rub my head rather intently. The first one I'd received in awhile and I'll bet she wanted to make up for lost times in this manner.

Trying to smooth out my hair I sighed a bit and agreed with her, "It's true, I just can't keep up with him at all." It was a depressing point, I didn't like admitting my own weakness so often and everyday I'd been having it pushed into my face. Whether it was matter of fact or not.

"I see you decided to join us today Stratus." Nimbus had come back and was pleasantly surprised to see me in company. "It's to be expected you know, all the children of Raiden and Skye are just very well bred." That sounded like it could be very true really. I'd heard a bit about pokemon breeders getting certain types of powerful pokemon to mate for offspring that were typically stronger than randomly caught wild pokemon. The whole subject was fairly vague to me, I only knew the premise of it.

"Ya, it's to be expected of all of them because of who their parents are. Before Raiden came, Skye was the strongest of us as well. So don't feel too bad kiddo, with effort and time you may be able to topple him." Cirrus was cheering me on trying to clear the cloud of my self induced crux of failure. I nodded to her and said I'd try.

"Oh, I hope it's not cloudy during the harvest moon." Poor Nimbus, she'd been looking forward to it so much, since before I'd arrived likely. Such a crippling factor would definitely ruin the day for her.

I don't think Cirrus ever really cared for the holiday but she did care about her sister, the only explanation I could come up with for her response, "Don't worry! The clouds will come and stay tomorrow, rain out all their stuff then mosey on outa here lickety split before the harvest moon. You wait and see."

Nimbus smiled at her sisters antics, clearly realizing as much as I had a moment before. "I hope so. I'm sure you're right, it would just be so sad if the harvest moon came and it was blocked by this gray haze." She wrinkled her nose up, it gave me the impression that she didn't like the rain.

"Do you not like rain Nimbus?" I know most people don't like the rain since it makes you wet and cold, but I'd always liked the soothing noise it made when it rhythmically came down and landed on a roof. Even if it was just the forest floor, it was like a serenade in full concert.

"No I don't. Everything becomes wet and you have to stay inside the hill or in a tree if you don't want to get soaked." She was sticking her tongue out a bit, this was a somewhat silly thing I'd never seen from her before. Hearing her answer I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me.

Cirrus gave her own grin at me, "I know, funny isn't it? Miss Rain cloud hates the rain." She snorted at the old joke while Nimbus just gave us a disapproving look for our childishness.

We talked on for the rest of the afternoon, lost to ourselves and the people we shared our words with. I almost distracted them to the point of negligence even, since a few mishaps went without attention for a time. I realized I hadn't really talked to my fellow pichu aside from Terra and Trek. I guess, social creature now or not, nothing was likely to change my reclusive nature. Though, I was being more open with my expressions and talkative now than I had ever been. So maybe it was affecting me, or perhaps it was just the company I shared. I had no answers.

END Chapter 10 - Worry and Sisters

Parting Author Note: Don't post a bunch of science/electricity properties etc. to me on how it'd work in water. We're talking about a world where the physics are horribly butchered every day by various elements (Want to explain why a geodude floats while you're at it? Is the rock type using psychic powers? Just because it has a Star Trek explanation doesn't make it anymore real). Just take a deep breath and leave it be. I'll not pretend to understand the physics of the pokemon world if you don't. I'm actually an adamant science enthusiast (Chemistry is my favorite. I'm only sad that anything I learn will likely be wrong in a decade or more. "Quarks?! Don't make me laugh! It's actually like this..." "Electron shells were just a mistake, what's really happening with atoms is..."), but I'm writing a fantasy story here in a 'magical' world, so relax. (That's what I tell myself so I can go to sleep every night instead of doing hours upon hours of futile research.)

YEEEE HAAAAAWWW!! Seeya tomorrow y'all!! (In the evening, I close to open Friday/Saturday)


	11. Dawn and Targets

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: The crucible has been prepared. Shall we see what melts down?

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 11 - Dawn and Targets

It had indeed decided to rain that night. Unable to properly sleep with the anxiety of the coming day upon me, I was left awake to stare into the darkness. The usually soothing sound of water falling outside did nothing to lull me back to sleep. The closeness of the two pikachu didn't help either. I was lost to the torrid storm of conflict that filled me. Worrying about every thing that could and would possibly be and happen.

I shifted about trying to get comfortable enough to eventually fall back asleep to no avail. I could feel I was disturbing Nimbus with my activity and ceased rolling into an unreachable sleep giving position. Obviously I'd have no such luck getting a full rest. It was almost dawn but it was still awhile before we'd normally rise. I was glad the dens didn't leak. I had thought this could be a problem with how many dug out burrows there were in the knoll. Likely the tree's roots kept most of the water at bay and sliding down the slopes rather than settling underneath it.

Thinking on the tree, I realized I hadn't really given' it very much attention throughout my stay as of yet. I hadn't climbed it or even inspected it to any great length. I declared to myself then that after the cliffs I would seek to investigate the tree, at least to see more about it in any case. Getting to the first set of branches and seeing the bunks up there and the entire meadow below would be a sight worth braving the heights. It had been cleared out since the foliage had left it, but the old beds resting places still laid there. I'd never been too afraid of high places, I was just cautious of them. Not like I'll have a safety rope to aid me when I made this journey. The only upside is that I was in a far more resilient body if I did take a tumble.

I lay there, thoughts to myself for a time. Eventually the darkness shied away from a growing dim glow that managed to escape the cloudy barricade and reach the earth. This was the first dawn I had been awake for. The air smelled of wet grass, dirt, and pikachu. Not a bad smell despite what I'm sure I'd have thought of it a month ago. Nimbus eventually started to awaken from whatever pleasant dream had filled her thoughts.

Never being privy to their awakening I found the process fascinating. Nimbus twitched and opened her eyes before closing them again and rolling herself away from us. She stayed there off by herself for a time before finally rising with a yawn. Cirrus stayed peacefully asleep however. It wasn't until Nimbus came and shook her that she stirred. It took Nimbus awhile but eventually her sister begrudgingly got up with a yawn and some grumbling. I just sat up, not waiting for Nimbus to turn and wake me to find me awake anyway.

"Eh? You're up already?" Cirrus managed to squeeze out in a daze, one eye still closed. She's definitely not a morning person, but I was glad she wasn't the cranky type.

"I woke up awhile ago, enjoying the sound of the rain." She only seemed to process this slightly, her mind still hazed.

"I guess it is raining." Nimbus took stock of the outside world and pouted at her revelation. "It had better all be gone before the day is done, or at least when tomorrow arrives."

"Even if we have to round up a hundred pidgeys and threaten to thunder shock them till they clear the sky of clouds you'll see the harvest moon sis, no problem!" Cirrus was giving her best lopsided grin as she joined her at the entrance.

Nimbus just giggled as I walked over to them and looked out at the water molested meadow. Everything looked about the same except that it was now in a gray screen of downfall. There are many types of rain, this was the huge droplets coming down in lower quantity. Like if each drop had swallowed three of it's neighbors. It was the best rain to listen to falling upon hard surfaces, such as a shed or tarp. I was mildly disappointed that the colony had neither, not even leaves from the tree.

We darted out into the rain to regroup up the hill under the tree. For the most part, there was very little water coming down on us as we were under the tree. Despite not having foliage, it's many branches still provided some mild shelter. My predictions of it being a natural shelter for the knoll panning out. After downing some nuts that Cirrus left to grab from the stock pile the chu's spent time regularly gathering food to fill it with, I told them I was off to meet up with Thunder. This surprised them, having thought we'd cancel our session.

"I guess it's good training since you don't have as much traction in the rain and all the water weighs you down. I think Trek would come and find me if I didn't show up." My oh my, how skilled at these half truths I had become. My slippery tongue had evolved into something all of itself, finding it easier with each passing day. I've always believed in being honest and thus I don't simply lie straight out like others might. When I needed the truth of things to be over looked I relied on people misconstruing and assuming things from my statements, but I didn't recall being at this level before however.

I always reasoned it out as it not being my fault that they drew such a conclusion from my words that could be taken any which way. I still felt it was deceit, but within acceptable standards. I never confirmed we'd be training today, I simply said it was 'good' training to fight in the rain and so forth. It was a smug kind of cleverness that I really hated. I'll probably continue to hide around this, all the while hating my shield as much as I used it.

I promised when it was over or at least here in a few days to a week that I'd tell them everything. They didn't deserve this kind of treatment, but I felt loyalty to the others as well. They wouldn't be very appreciative if I told Nimbus and Cirrus what was planned only for them to thwart their efforts. Of course my two adoptive siblings would not like them having taken me somewhere such as I was going either. I walked a dangerous road and I blamed it on Trek for the most part. He was an easy target for this unrest.

"Don't catch a cold okay Stratus? If you start to feel like your getting chilled through your fur you head right back understand?" Nimbus gave me her concern for my health, to which I nodded and thanked her for her consideration.

"Ya sparky, not much good it'll do if ya catch a cold out there today. You'll be bedridden for a week more 'an likely." Cirrus gave me a wave as I departed. It's easier to slip going down a hill slowly than quickly so I dashed from the knoll to the underbrush of the surrounding area.

The wet foliage immediately began to scratch away at my dry fur. I could feel each drop clinging to me as I moved by. Like when you feel your clothes getting wet, only the clothes are a part of you. Each drop of water was cold and weighed me down further. By the time I left the flora to step into the battle field, I was already dripping water under me, my fur reaching it's capacity for the time being. I'd been told to make my way along the edge of this clearing to meet on the far side facing the mountain. 'I guess it wouldn't do for the three of us to meet up and then move away from the area.' This way people don't really acknowledge us for the day, having never seen us arrive or meet up they wouldn't likely note it, rather than if they saw us departing together somewhere. There was no one here at the moment, I must be earlier than usual, but they may turn up just as fast.

I was making my way across the edge of the training grounds when I received my first surprise of the day. A crack of lightning split the sky in the distance. My ears immediately honed in on the sound and I saw sparks come from my cheeks. I wasn't scared so much as caught off guard. That one moment had opened me to a sense and feeling that was dormant a second ago, though it went just as quickly as it'd come. The charge in my cheeks was just about unbearable, that one moment actually felt painful just from how much was being held there. Were they always like this or was it because of the storm? I vaguely recalled the chu's species statement saying thunderstorms or days with static and charges in the air gave them a boost to their electrical abilities. Like a plant type in a forest or a water type in... well... water.

Seeing no resolution to this I shook myself of hesitation and moved onwards. 'If I start to go out of control, which I doubt, I'll just grab a tree or something to take the damage.' It seemed like a simple yet effective plan. Trek's concern the other day drifted through my mind, I wouldn't allow myself to be paralyzed by possible fears though. I learned a long time ago that you'll never get anything accomplished if you do that. I could think of any number of scenario that would result in pain and loss of life, 'I won't be held back by my own brain's ability to run wild with imagination. I'd have never stepped foot out my door if that was the case. Besides, I never once thought up Her(?) and that was the most compromising event. So not like it was any help in the end.' I held a wane grin on my face in thinking this.

Thunder was waiting for me but Trek was no where in sight. He seemed as put off as I did. Under one of the outlying trees in the area, Thunder seemed damp but otherwise as though he'd avoided the thorough soaking that I had received. That urge I'd felt on the rock at the lake kicked in and I bent to all fours and shook myself of most the water that clung to me. Thinking on it, I believe I did this on the walk to the colony after the lake but that whole day was a blur. Thunder covered his face as the water went everywhere. "Thanks for that Stratus, I wasn't wet enough already." He smirked good naturally and continued on, "You actually showed up before Trek did. That's a shock."

"Huh? Did you want something?" A voice drifted from a bush nearby and a dazed looking pikachu soon followed it.

"I was just talking to Stratus here Shock." Thunder was slightly amused and irritated at the younger pikachu's mistake. "You two haven't met yet right?"

"Can't say we have." I looked to Shock and nodded my head in acknowledgment.

"Me neither. The names Shock. You're that kid th' was found outside the colony right?" He was looking down at me with a slight interest.

"Yes, some eevee found me in the waterhole and brought me here." I recalled the eevee and realized I had never thanked them for their efforts. From what I'd heard around these parts, despite eevee's omnivorous nature they only ate the flora in the forest, leaving the prey animals be. This was an interesting concept, I didn't think about different pokemon choosing their diet like that. They can communicate with the prey around them though so maybe since they can eat things other than meat they decided not to alienate this group of pokemon. 'It must be odd being around someone knowing they can eat you. Technically anyone can eat anyone else, same species or not. Just biologically able and socially able too, I guess would be a better way to look at it.'

He just nodded and his attention was lost. He seemed a little out of it, I wondered if there was something wrong with him but Thunder just waved my questioning look aside. I guess that was just how he was. 'Maybe one to many shocks as a pichu.' This made me even more wary of my own growing issue once more. 'I'll definitely have to be careful. Last thing I want to end up as is an attention span-less pikachu.'

Trek soon graced us with his presence. He appeared upset that I had arrived first but quickly let it go. Shock snapped out of his daze and asked if we were ready to go. We quickly began to make our way through the forest to our destination. It was better to travel in smaller groups I guessed was the general consensus.

Trek had trouble sneaking from bush to bush and Thunder had to help him several times. He only grew more irritated at his lack of subtly more upon seeing me expertly move from each position to the next nary making a whisper. 'This is so much easier than when I was a human. I can avoid every noise making obstacle and this smaller size makes traversing the underbrush child's play. Well, almost child's play...'

"How can you be so good at this!?" He shouted in a hushed whisper. The restrained question had begged him for a raised voice but his sensibility had won through. It was hilarious to watch him seethe, he wasn't used to being second best at anything more than likely. I just flashed him a winsome smile and started to show off with my stealth ability. Darting quickly from bush to bush ahead of them, hiding from their view to dart out and hide in the next one as well. I heard his low growl on the edge of my hearing and grinned.

'It's about time I find a skill I'm better at than him.' I was feeling really proud of myself until I realized it was a cowards skill for the most part. It won't help me in a fight or anything. 'Well, the cowardly prey lives to eat another day is what they'd say I'm sure.' I laughed it off for the most part. After all, being sneaky was an extremely useful and prudent skill.

We kept this up through the early morning, the sun was just now past the horizon and slowly climbing it's way to the halfway point. It was a bright blur of a circle through the rainstorm which had lightened up. It was now more of a light mist that left a blanket of water throughout the area, getting everything wet. I was glad there was no wind as of yet, that would drop the temperature swiftly. Oddly though, I felt fairly warm regardless of the weather. The water was cold at first but it quickly heated up in my fur. It left me with a dank musty wet fur smell to reach my nose. Said smell left me with an extremely odd feeling. It was my own smell so I couldn't find myself hating it, but I knew it as a wet fur smell which I really disliked. So my human memory told me it was a nasty smell where my pichu nose didn't mind. I tried my best to ignore it altogether, it was just too disorientating.

Finally, I could see a break through the never ending trees. Ahead the forest cleared out into open field. I stopped at the edge and waited for the others to arrive. I hadn't seen a single soul while we were moving. 'I guess the poor weather helped us with a smoke screen of a fashion.' The gray haze of water blocked sight much further out into the open ground ahead. The downpour was a wetter version of it's gaseous cousin, fog.

When they caught up Thunder signaled we should stay close to him and we proceeded out onto the roofless grounds. I was immediately hit with a sense of fear. Out in the open and exposed like this, with little place to run. It was a primordial fear that likely lived within my current DNA. I grimaced and pressed on, doing my best to ignore it. I just reminded myself that Thunder and Shock were here and tried to keep the nerve wracking sense at bay. Trek looked equally distraught though he easily grinned and bore it. I guess it wasn't his first time running into this sense of danger.

Traveling through the grass shoots was about as uneventful as the forest had been, though we forged ahead with far more caution and tried to be a lot quieter. Well they did, with how well I had this down I doubted if I would ever make a sound again. 'They should rename me Whisper.' I amused myself with this thought, trying to ease the tense situation.

Grass soon gave way to more dirt and gravel than flora and that even more quickly changed to rocks strewn about the area. Shock turned and headed to a boulder that was a little ways from our path. It was a large lopsided thing, offering a sheltered area under one of it's tilted edges. Underneath I could vaguely make out yellow shapes that had to be the other pikachu and raichu waiting.

We swiftly pulled up to them and I saw Swift just finishing making a hail to Shock. I began to shake myself just out from under the rock before proceeding underneath. Trek and Thunder had done the same so I figured it was a courtesy to others to do it out of their proximity and thus not get them wet.

Swift started to talk to the others but Trek caught my attention with a poke, "I was serious. How did you get so good at moving around like that?" I guess this had been eating him up the entire trip.

Shrugging to him, "I guess I did a lot of sneaking around before I ended up at the colony, it felt fairly natural to me." I hated how accustomed I was growing to this misleading. I knew every time I used it I went through the same feelings of regret but subsequently kept using it regardless. Like some kind of horrible addiction, I jumped at it every time it presented itself.

He didn't find that very satisfying at all, but there wasn't much I could do about that. Trek would just have to deal with not being the best for once. "Will you teach me?" He looked at me sincerely, yearning to become more apt at another survival skill.

'Wow, he dealt with it pretty fast.' He'd already swallowed what pride that made him unhappy and had breached that ravine to ask his better to help him. I didn't really see a problem with it. I liked being better than him at it, but I'm not a jerk that'll horde information or power from someone. "Of course Trek." I gave him a quick smile that he returned happily. I guess he'd been worried I'd say no but that doubt was dispelled.

"Are you two paying attention?" Thunder interrupted our side conversation instantly. Snapping our attentions to him and the surrounding chu's, I saw them looking warily at us. Obviously uncomfortable having the extra baggage to worry about. "I'll take that as a no," Thunder stated in a deadpan voice.

"This is important now little dudes, listen up alright?" Swift took a few steps towards us. "There's plenty of us here to watch out for ya, just stick close to Thunder mostly. I don't mean underfoot or nothin', just to stay within distance. We'll be fanning out and around the area looking for the gummi so if you stay in the middle of us for the most part there shouldn't be any trouble. You guys down?"

We both nodded our heads. The plan seemed simple enough. I felt confident I could at least dodge or avoid a surprise attack on land without too much difficulty before the others would manage to arrive shortly there after. Swift nodded to us and all the chu's started to head out from the rock. I was still surprised so many had come, but I guess with three weeks of time and a silver tongue, Swift had his ways. He likely tried to come out here before and was in fact confronted by some ground pokemon or they were just in the area so he wanted back up rather than going for the prizes himself. I didn't see him being the brave fighter type of guy.

Trek was wildly looking about, taking in the new terrain. I had been to places like this before so I wasn't fazed, but I doubt he's been anywhere other than the forest and the pond. The area smelled vaguely of fearow but it was distant, likely weakening with their departure. With the ravine in sight, everyone began to fan out as me and Trek stayed fairly in the middle of their search operation. For the most part I simply followed the other around as he sniffed and looked at everything. Poking rocks, picking out some odd plant here and there, it all seemed to fascinate him. Watching him in this moment of wonder I felt glad I had decided to come.

Time went fairly slowly during the search. The rain had begun to die for the most part, only the odd drop falling once in awhile. Shaking myself I was glad to see the water go finally. I liked the rain but it was a lot more comfortable to dwell outside of it. A pikachu named Fern had found the first one. Gazing at him from where me and Trek resided I could just make out the odd little shape he was holding up. It didn't look like a pokeblock at this distance, so I guessed gummi and pokeblocks were two separate things. After the initial find, another would cry out in success here and there, obviously pleased with their find.

A gust of wind blew by, likely the first of many, and I stood up at full length the enjoy it for a moment. A hint of a smell that sent alarms going off reached me, ending my tranquility instantly. It held the scent of a predator, various meats permeated it. With that came other smells, though my pichu nose couldn't instinctively decipher them. It seemed oddly familiar and danced upon my nose like the flake of eggshell that made it into the yoke and refused to be removed from the mixing bowl (Not that I had this problem anymore since I went vegetarian by career choice years ago).

My human memories filled the gap for me though thankfully. 'This almost smells like cologne-' and it hit me in an instant. I was sent spiraling down a pit of horror and even felt like I'd been physically punched as the realization hit me. 'It's a trap! It has to be poachers! Of course there were gummi in the area! No wonder the fearow had gone! This was a set up! How could I have been so blind!?'

Even as I turned and screamed at the others to run as loud as I could, it was too late. Battle cries were called out from the ground as two people popped up from soil level and let their pokeballs fly. "Butterfree! Use Stun spore!" This attack was echoed by both opponents, each letting loose their own flying pokemon. This seemed folly with so many electric pikachu being the targets but they had the advantage of surprise. The damage was done even as the thunder-shocks flew out at the butterfree. Their wings had both flapped a haze of paralyzing spores at us.

Having been yelling out about the attack I knew was coming, I'd already started to run. I pulled Trek along with me and we beat a path towards the crevice. I vaguely heard the butterfree being recalled into the pokeballs from whence they came. A scrambling sound behind me and a glance showed that Thunder was desperately trying to follow us. He was partially affected by the spores but was holding on tight trying to keep pace behind us.

Before we made it much further out of the area we came across a growlithe knocking Shock to the ground. He'd been on the other side of our little spread out search party and thus away from the spore attack, but not from the flanking enemy that had been well placed. 'The rain had been as much a hindrance as help.' It had blocked out most of the smells in the area and prevented us from knowing about these wayward targets. 'If it hadn't been for the wind just then I'd likely be spasming on the ground awaiting capture.' Quickly altering our direction, to avoid the canine, I continued onwards.

'Damn this ravine, they have us almost trapped.' Trying to follow along it's edge I knew we'd likely hit opposition. Behind me I heard the growlithe catch up to Thunder. At least, I figured it did if the ensuing sound of electricity meant anything. Trek was finally breaking out of his shock and we both paused to see Thunder taking the growlithe down, the water logged mutt had no chance. It made me happy knowing my pikachu teacher was a strong fighter.

This happy revelation didn't last long as a buzzing noise filled my ears. I whipped around to see a beedrill rushing at us ready to take a stab with it's pointed weapon like arms. Trek immediately cut away and dodged the in coming charge. I weaved to the side avoiding the first thrust and continued to stumble and back up from the follow ups. I dared not turn my back to the large insect lest it get a free shot with it's poisoned barbs.

I couldn't continue avoiding the stabs indefinitely however, as I eventually tripped on a rock and landed on my back. I began to roll and felt a downward strike hit where I'd been moments before. I ungracefully heaved myself up as fast as I could. Whipping about to see the beedrill about to nail me with my feet tripping over themselves. Trek came into my vision, having thrown himself bodily into the side of the beedrill. They tumbled away from me as I shakily collected myself.

The higher evolved pokemon wasted no time to press it's attack upon Trek as soon as it regained it's ground. Shoving the pichu away from it to slam into a rock, the insect began it's advance upon him with nary a decrease in speed. Trek for his part darted away as best he could, but the bug was just as swift to attack as he was to avoid it's strikes. I began to run to his aid when I saw it charging an attack, preparing to unleash a fury of strikes at the smaller pokemon.

'No! Trek!' I'd seen this move before, it was a swift series of attacks that reduced the target to a holed corpse. Even if it just aimed to wound him so the others could capture him it would still ruin Treks chances of surviving this encounter. Desperation filled me as I realized I had no hope of reaching them in time. In this moment of panic I could feel my electric pouches make themselves apparent. My high emotional stress sent sparks flying all around me and I paused to revel in the sense of power. 'Even if it does fry me at least it'll have been for a good cause.' I let them fly loose as best as I could manage.

Erratic lightning shot from me and scoured the area in rage. My face seared with burning pain and my muscles began to lockup horribly. Luckily they seemed to have enough direction for some of the power to strike the beedrill, disrupting it's hopes of felling Trek. It began to twitch and spasm as it was struck by the energy falling the foot that separated it from the ground. Trek hurriedly made his way from the insect. 'Excellent! I got him, I can stop now.... I can stop now. Stop!' I couldn't end the flow of electricity at all!

Despite all the pain it was putting me through it did nothing but continue to flow out of me racking my body as it went, hitting me as much as anything else. Even with a natural affinity to electricity there was only so much a body of flesh could take. I wanted to scream and cry out but my jaws were as locked into this position of attack as the rest of me was. A white pain filled my vision and began to blind me, robbing me of the world around me. 'No! I have to stop! It's my own body I have to be able to control it somehow! I can't just die like this!' I screamed in my mind, panicking as I felt the world begin to slip from my finger tips.

Just as quickly as it had started, it all came to a halt. My vision slowly returned to me and my attack was no longer harming me as it had been before. I was filled with the pain of what I had been through just before but nothing was being added to compound these wounds. I was confused when all became clear, it felt like I was shifting. My body was jell-o and all of my senses and nerves, everything, I could feel was being rearranged as they were poured into a mold.

In that one moment of pure formless energy, I felt a connection with the world that surrounded me like never before. I could see the energy and power that was throughout the area. I saw Trek, the Beedrill and even Thunder approaching Trek a ways from us to my side out of my peripheral vision. Everything felt at peace and all things seemed obvious to me now. What truths I knew in this moment were forgotten as I left it however and simply a vague sense of euphoria was left. My energy died and I collapsed to the ground, completely spent and in pain. I saw the insect feebly crawling about, trying to recover. It was with a snide satisfaction that I noted it would be out of the fight for awhile.

I saw Thunder grab Trek up by the back of his neck before beginning to head my way when he stopped suddenly. I heard the sound of frenzied footfalls coming from behind me and knew the humans were almost upon me. Thunder gave me a harrowing look of absolute regret and sorrow. I knew he couldn't hope to help Trek nor get me, in my condition, out of the area. Trek struggled feebly against Thunder trying to get free to come to my aid. He was screaming something I couldn't make out. Swift popped into view and started to pull Thunder away from the scene. He looked fairly banged and scraped up, likely having been a main target of the assault. The world was growing distant, I said goodbye to them with my eyes even as a propelled net slammed into me.

END Chapter 11 - Dawn and Targets

Parting Author Note: This was the hardest chapter to write thus far. Each sentence was a struggle between life and death. I actually wrote half of the upcoming chapter while trying to put what I wanted to happen in this one down in word form. I knew what I wanted to happen but telling this tale was trying all the same. I probably could have broken it into two chapters but decided against it.

Yee haw!


	12. Trapped and Loss

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: I now present the by product of the crucible.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 12 - Trapped and Loss

It was with a start rather than a slow ebbing tide that I awoke, sore but otherwise intact it seemed. Lying on a cold metallic floor that sucked my bodies warmth from me, I felt the chill of this place. The sudden alertness from knowing I was obviously in unfriendly territory jerked me up to look about with blearing eyes that stung from being forced into use from such a long slumber.

Finally, when they began to focus on my surroundings I was distressed to see that I had, in fact, been caught by poachers. Several other cages were on the sides of me, all varying in shapes and sizes. I walked up to the thin wiry bars that blocked me from my natural born right of freedom and looked as best to my sides as I could manage. I knew this was specialty material made with the exact purpose of holding an electric type pokemon. Trying to attack it would just send the energy to a battery that was connected to it or simply run it off into the grounded pole after that had filled up to full. Accomplishing nothing other than tiring me out and giving them a free charge.

The other cages were mostly filled with pokemon, though some lay empty still. Bills PC would never hold the pokemon of unlawful poachers, and no criminal organization was privy to his advanced and extremely powerful system. That was the only disadvantage these low lives had, they still had to use more traditional methods. I'm not an engineer so I don't know for sure but there's a reason no more than six filled pokeballs can be on a person at a time. It would be a folly for someone to try and find out also. That's why the trainers are forced to have any pokemon they catch after six immediately teleported away without option. 'No doubt some young brat would get cocky and think the limit didn't apply to him.' Not that I had anything against trainers, some of the younger ones just irritated me. That's what happens when eleven year olds can become trainers I guess, they're just way to hyper and immature for me to want to be around.

There were some ceramic-esque cages to contain several fire pokemon whom must have captured at Mount Moon. I didn't know of any that would traverse the forest for any reason, except if they really wanted to hurt some grass pokemon, but that seemed unlikely. Several vented cages held the odd plant pokemon, but there isn't much use for too many of them in the poaching world so I could only figure they needed them for some materials in different concoctions that can be made. Not that the pokemon is killed and gutted, just that they have different parts that can be harvested. Like pollen, sap, honey dew, etc. So it made sense that they'd keep the several they need around indefinitely so they always have a ready supply. If I was behind these wiry bars then my fellow captured pikachu must be around me. It's doubtful they'd have purchased or built a single cage with this kind of set up.

A sharp metallic sound rang throughout the room, stopping my investigation. My ears twitched automatically to find the location of the sound and my vision swam from the sudden alien sensation. I knew some animals could pivot their ears in opposite directions so as to pinpoint the location a sound originates from but to have it suddenly thrust upon me was too much. Even as a pichu I just moved my ears up and down, not one down to the side and the other to the front. I got over it after a time, rubbing my ears and shaking my head.

My thoughts and actions dawned on me, 'I've evolved into a pikachu?' I vaguely remembered it happening the other day right before I collapsed, but couldn't recall everything entirely. Feeling my much longer ears adorning a head, that were far more proportionate to my body, I was suddenly very happy. 'At least I'm not a pichu anymore. I even beat Trek! I bet he'll be pretty upset about that one.' I marveled for a moment at my new shape and size. My arms and feet seemed shorter due to the increased torso size and my pouches were now completely functional.

Thinking of Trek made me sad though, knowing I'd likely never see him again, fight with him, learn with him, anything. I held a small hope that'd I'd escape of course, and would try everything in my power to achieve this, but it was doubtful. Even with my human knowledge, most pokemon cages are made up to the standards of holding a human, intelligence wise, due to psychic pokemon. Even if the psychic pokemon can't escape from theirs, it doesn't mean the smarter species couldn't guide the others in the area in doing such.

The source of the loud noise a moment before presented itself. A young lady with a wrench came into view wearing the standard Team Rocket uniform. Gray pants with a black t-shirt with a large red 'R' adorning the front. She had long curly brown hair and looked like she was in a great mood. "I still can't believe you're so unhappy Ray." She called out, back through the doorway in which she'd come. Walking into the room she gave my side of the cage wall a bright cheery smile and made really big eyes with her green orbs, "Aww, how's all the cute wittle chu's doin'? Don't you worry none now you hear? Rachel will take good care of ya." She gave a cutesy giggle and from the impression of her voice 'take good care' sounded more like 'end you real soon' to me.

"Don't talk like that, it's just messed up." A rough-neck of a man, slightly older than the smaller woman, walked down the stairs and came into the room to join his partner. He gazed around the sordid space, dark brown eyes looking as harsh as their owner. "And I'm pissed cause so many of those damned buggers got away!" He'd taken out a cigarette and proceeded to light it, before taking a drag after his outburst. He was in the same standard Team Rocket outfit though he had a muscle shirt on instead. His head was a pristine shaved dome of a thing.

'Team Rocket, I should have known.' They were the largest criminal organization operating in the Kanto region. I'd reported them several times to the authorities but never confronted them myself. When I saw them out and about in the woods I never engaged them. With only mace while they're armed with weapons and pokemon, it wasn't a risk I felt confident in taking. Instead I would head to town immediately and report them to an officer. Sometimes the law caught them, other times they didn't.

"That's what I don't get. We weren't even expecting any, how can you be so upset? It's like a jackpot, not a monetary loss." She just waved him away as though he were being a silly child that didn't understand the concept of reality.

Walking over to the cages he kicked them and I felt the walls that surrounded me shake, "There were almost fourteen of the little shits, how the hell did we only manage to get five?" He then turned from her to look straight at me, "And this little bugger had to go off and evolve from a pichu right before we go and get him." He exhaled smoke into my cage and sneered hatefully at me. Turning around he smacked my cage's gate with the back of his hand, "Do you have any idea how much some rich girls daddy would pay for a pichu? Even a stuffed pichu if he'd fried fighting that beedrill. Would have been better than this mangy mouse we have now."

'Oh gee, so sorry to disappoint you. I feel just awful.' I coughed the smoke away as it burned my nose and watered my eyes.

"Bah! It was all gain! You know we lucked out yesterday, how can you possibly be so pissy? Just shut up and deal with it." Her patience seemed to have given out, what little there must have been, and she snapped at the violent male. She'd finished tinkering with some machine just out of view, if the sounds of metal appliances and tools meant anything, and was walking back to the door.

"Whatever, lets just go drop our payload off. I'll be glad to be out of this piss hole after the last month. Oh, and tell that ditz to clean up the engine before we go. I won't have this hunk of junk-" and it had faded past my sense of understanding when the door slammed closed behind him as he left with Rachel.

I took stock of my situation with a grim sense of finality, 'I'm at the mercy of some heartless Team rocket scum with what looks like a load of other captured pokemon. It's likely a truck of some form considering the cramped setting and the comment about the engine. This would mean my only chances before it's to late will be during their voyage.' That gave me about two days I figured. Their all terrain vehicles were slow but steady. They make good time traveling through flat lands and only a bit slower punching a hole through forests.

'Two days until it's too late? I'm not an escape artist... I don't even know where to begin.' Looking about my cage there was no readily apparent way for the front gate to open. The wire like bars were in a crisscross pattern as well, making it structurally sturdier. The cage itself was a two and a half feet cube I guessed. Chances of escaping and survival started to look slim for me.

Even if I do die in this cage to these poachers, thinking of the life I had saved from ending up here instead, I really couldn't find any regret. 'He was what? A year, a year and a half old possibly?' Compared to my much longer life I couldn't think of any other thing I'd do in that situation. 'Wait... a year or so old? He was like my peer though...' This thought gave me pause. He had seemed like someone my age, which is odd because how would that be possible with how much younger he was. He reminded me of a kid at my freshman year of school even. I'm sure the aging process and the development stages differs from humans but still... 'Wait a minute, pikachu age faster than-'

I jerked up suddenly ignoring the pain that shot through me. This thought filled me with an icy dread that stilled my heart. 'Some pokemon age faster than humans. I wasn't a pichu because She(?) was just toying with me, that was just my age range? No... that means now that I'm a pikachu... does that mean I'm now eighteen or twenty? Did I age when I evolved? Will She(?) be able to turn me back into a sixteen year old as I'd been before, assuming She(?) would change me back at all? Was She(?) even able to? I've heard of pokemon with the ability to transform things but to reverse age would be something else entirely!' I knew pikachu lived to about ten to twelve years long. 'If I'm a pikachu for a year will I be in my early twenties when I'm human again!?'

I paused to think about the math. 'Trek was one to one and a half years old, so that means he was about eight or twelve about. Maybe he was just smart for his age...' Even as I told myself this it didn't seem quite right. Thinking on the pikachu species I thought of all the properties they held being at the bottom of the ladder. 'Of course, they would grow older faster and reach adulthood sooner since the longer it took for them to be able to mate the less likely they'll make it and produce more offspring to keep a balance in the predator prey ratio. Does that mean pichu age to sixteen or seventeen in a year or so before they evolve? Is there an age leap when this happens? Does it just slow the aging process down? Wait... people that are physically fit can live past a hundred. All pokemon are generally fit as a whistle, does that mean I should count that time for humans in the equation? Was Trek actually my age? I know pichu evolve no matter what at two years about. How does mentality and personal growth play into this whole equation?'

I didn't know any of this, but I felt older now was all my prevailing thoughts could tell me. The exact specifics on aging versus evolution and what ranges they go through before and afterwards? That wasn't something I was learned enough or knowledgeable enough to theorize about. If I'm ever human again it would definitely be a topic worth bringing up to Oak.

I could feel myself starting to hyperventilate thinking about all the possible issues and problems this train of thought came with. I hadn't even considered there being younger pichu or the age groups. I was so stuck on the day to day life with those pichu that were 'my age' that I didn't even think of there being younger ones and that they grew up faster than people. 'I mean, I knew there were younger pichu, but really, I hadn't thought of the aging differences... Not until I compared myself age wise to Trek anyway.' Even though it had been right in front of me.

'If humans live for eighty to ninety years on average and a pikachu ten to twelve, does that mean every day like this is eight days of my life when or if I even get changed back? Right, wait, fit humans live to a hundred... so is that ten days to one?' My breath was labored and it was all I could do to not lose control of my lungs and pass out. I'd started to pace the cage, looking about wildly. My mind couldn't settle down after I'd been hit with this prospect.

'I have to get out of here! Get back to that cave! I can't be twenty something when I'm human again!' I'd snapped and was clawing frightfully at the cages wiry bars growling and spitting. I had to get free, I had to get to that cave. I was lost to all rational thought, all I could see was a clock ticking away with each passing moment. I shot out electricity and my paws scraped painfully against the metal, blood pouring from my tiny needle like claws.

Eventually I'd spent all my energy and ended up huddled in the corner licking at my poor abused appendages. Obviously time would mean nothing if I was to be stuck in this cage. I won't get anything done so long as my freedom was not my own. So I sat there in the darkness of the truck, perpetually thinking of my decreased possible age. 'I had been right there, surrounded by pikachu of all kinds, why didn't I talk to any of them? I didn't go around, search or explore, I just took each day with a relaxed smile and slept in that damned meadow. I didn't take this situation seriously and now I'm paying for it. Damn it...'

It was true, even training with Trek, while I pushed myself I didn't actually keep pursue other venues, scout out the area or do anything. Was it because I had been a pichu? All my feelings and reasons as a pichu now seemed fogged, as though it was a completely different mind and my current one couldn't process it correctly. 'Is it like that for when I was a human?' I hadn't actually thought too much of my human days and such, what I'd felt and why I did things. 'No, those don't seem muddled at least.' This was a puzzle but not one I cared to delve into at the moment.

I'd been so reclusive there... I didn't talk to anyone aside from Cirrus, Nimbus, Terra, and Trek. Even Thunder I barely asked questions of. I was in this alien situation, up a creek without a paddle and I had just laid back and accepted it for the most part. I couldn't stop the vicious criticism and snide remarks against myself. I can't recall a time I had failed myself so utterly as this. 'Did I think it was a nice little vacation where I could enjoy myself? See some new people et cetera? Have some fun till I was a pikachu and then actually bother doing something? How could I have forced myself into such a weak mindset as to so blatantly ignore everything I should have been paying attention to. It wasn't just another day in my life it was another day in a dire situation that I spent not gathering information. Instead I shuffled off to the side, alone, like I always do!'

It continued on without end. I ripped my own personality and habits apart and spit on them, shoving my boot down upon my introvert nature and grinding it in the dirt. I was raving mad and my only reachable victim was myself. I couldn't even blame that person/thing for it, since She(?) was the reason I was in the situation, not the reason I had failed myself so horrendously. 'I could have told them I was actually a human and they would have helped me. Why didn't I? Oh right, so I could save face... avoid being shamed and embarrassed. That was a great reason, I was really on the ball there. There was no urgency what so ever. I didn't need any help, I was just fine going and doing it myself when I felt like it.'

It was awful here now, worse than before. At least moments before I'd held hope that I could escape or would be rescued, but now, that hope was dwindled by the fact that I'll likely be inadvertently scarred from this whole incident. I didn't want to cry but thinking about how I'd lost so many years of my life left me unable to hold them back. I hated crying, it made me feel so weak and vulnerable, like I'd given up on everything rather than trying to continue forward.

I was either going to die here alone and butchered or after living a short fire flick of a life doing whatever they have in store for a pokemon they have no compassion for. 'Even if I become human again, how many years of my young life are gone? Would my family recognize me or believe what had happened to me? Will I have no one... pikachu or family?' I couldn't stop the maelstrom of questions to which I had no answers.

The other pokemon paid me no mind, wrapped up in their own thoughts as well. Some likely put off by my feral and wild actions moments before, making them feel all the worse being in this place. Looking at them I was reminded of the pikachu that meant so much to me. 'So that's it then? I'll give up their friendships in an instant for my life span. For more years of life... I guess that was the deciding factor.' All the doubt of whether I wanted to be changed back was removed the instant I came across that revelation and it made me feel awful. 'Three weeks is nothing compared to how long I've known others... but it's never felt so true or fulfilled as that before. Yet I'll give it up as soon as I realize I won't live as long as I could.'

This made me think of mans quest for immortality, if we're all partially driven to preventing our death it seems only natural we wouldn't want it to come sooner than later. There are no quests for a reduced life span after all, so I couldn't really fault myself but it made me ill all the same. 'Was that what it came down to? I don't care about others except my own hide and how long I can keep it alive...' Despite my act of heroism the day before, all I could think of is how they would be dead to me all the same with me leaving them behind with nary a glance as I became human agian.

Darkness eventually consumed me, to which I gave thanks. I was shaking by the time I couldn't feel anymore, the adrenaline rush left me feeble and sapped. I was as battered emotionally as my body was from my rampant spasm of feral panic. I allowed the constant clicking and clanking noises of the cart to drain my mind until there was nothing.

END - Chapter 12 - Trapped and Loss

Parting Author Note: I haven't written anything of a character being in a freedom-less state like this before. Hopefully I was able to portray it with my usual gustò.

There you have it folks, the reason he started out as a pichu. I was originally planning his stay at the colony as a pikachu and it was going to be very different. In the middle of the second chapter I was thinking about the age factor and it hit me. I knew how analytical a character Jek was, and I figured She(?) would too. What better way to toy with someone like that then let them freak out after realizing the the vast aging differences of the cross species change? With his personality type it was only a matter of time before it dawned on him, but with how reclusive he is it'd be awhile. Even with how analytical he is with his surroundings and happenings, I didn't feel it would dawn on him until he compared Trek's age to his own like this. He'd heard how young they were in vague passing, but never anything concrete and hadn't paid it heed. I didn't see him crunching the numbers while so much was going on around him but now he was left with only his mind to wander. I've been waiting to enjoy watching him sweat this out, was glad I could finally drop the bomb for you guys. This is the first example of the story evolving on it's own from the original storyboard/plot-progression that I had planned out for it. Which is crazy since it's pretty much the start. I wonder how much will change as I go along...

As for the life spans, I'm just guessing since they seem to be like mice and cats for the most part. So I gave them a shorter average life of a cat but a lot longer than a mouses. 10-12 years about seems the most likely range for them to me. They're at the bottom of the food chain, thus having all the effects and such that come with this position. Short life span, having litters, and quicker to reach a mating state. I didn't introduce extremely older/younger characters because the First person PoV was being controlled by someone not really delving into the people around him. He spent so much time looking rather than talking and interacting, that he missed out on a lot of information. As he clearly figured out for himself what a downfall being introvert can be. I feel in a FP PoV the reader should only be aware of what the person is. He didn't know nor had thought it out so you're view and what you knew was just as circumspect. There was a lot I could have(and in fact wanted to go into) while at the colony. Perhaps in the future there will be a chance for him to make up for these lost chances, but that will remain to be seen.

Can you imagine being a high school student and then when you're changed, a year afterwards you go back and you're suddenly early to mid twenties? You've just lost a huge chunk of your life, one of the main adventurous portions even. Those three weeks, 21 or so days, Jek spent at the colony were 210 days if the conversion is 1-10. So he'd have been 17 before he evolved into a pikachu. It's actually a rather horrifying thought and one of the darker factors of transformations few really cover. I actually haven't read any covering this factor as of yet, but I'm sure they're out there. I've only seen them where they gain a longer life span or some other beneficial factor. I'm realistic... I love my characters but I'm not going to candy coat anything for them. Life is full of adversity.

I'm going to take a breather from the story to decide and mull over how I want the next segment to take place now that the first has ended. You'll notice a segment change in the story by the difference in chapter titling. I'll be posting again in a day or two. Seeya then! (assuming you want to read more)

No yee haws today. Instead a moment of silence for Jek's lost years...


	13. Enforcing Freedom

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: It occurred to me that my statements for why I'm doing things might be taken as an insult to some other authors. For the most part I'm just trying to convey the reasons I'm doing what I am with the story, I mean no offense or disrespect to my fellow writers. For instance, when I said "I love my characters but I'm not going to candy coat anything for them" I simply meant "Please don't think of me as an evil jerk for doing this to my poor beloved character." Rather than saying other authors "candy coat" things for their characters. Everybody has their own writing style and approach, just defending mine a bit... and peoples opinions of me when I appear to be very harsh in said story. Really... I'm actually a nice guy. Don't hate me for Jek's misery! Well... maybe just a little... muwa-ha-ha?

I mainly did the age thing because I wanted to add something new to the plate, so to speak. My contribution to the other transformation stories out there. So the variety and differences grows once more. That and it seemed extremely interesting to me as a concept. If there is another story(or stories) out there that addressed it, than I was too late in being the first. I can, hopefully, add a new spin on it from the other(or others) that did it though, at least.

Now then, to start the next story segment! Let the next slew of updates begin!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 13 - Enforcing Freedom

I'm not sure what time I had awoken, but we were moving. The tell tale signs were abound. All the random objects that had been strewn about the room were neatly put away, my equilibrium kept feeling an up and down bumping around sensation, and the sounds of the vehicles interactions with the outside world along with a low humming of an engine could be heard. Just as immediately as this was noticeable, so to did I realize people(or rather, pokemon) were talking.

"Don't you go worrying Rain, we'll get outa here somehow." The less than cheery voice of whom I thought was Shock could be heard somewhere to my cells left. Listening closely, I could hear a small whimpering. 'I see, he's comforting someone.'

"I've been in here a couple weeks now mouse, you're not goin' anywhere." A gruff voice echoed from the ceramic cages. I didn't know what type they were due to the cage only having small holes in the front. Most fire types are typically meaner creatures, being quick to anger, so this brought me no surprise.

"Hey! You go and keep that kinda talk to yourself!" It was a strong statement but it lacked the strength of conviction I'm sure it would contain in a less dire circumstance. The offender simply grunted.

"I'm so hungry..." A pikachu to my right that I didn't know. 'Hungry? I see, they likely only feed their captured pokemon once every day or other day.' It's to keep pokemon weak and less capable of mounting an escape or offensive.

I could vaguely hear a number of stomachs rumble at the mention of food, reminding them of their own condition. I felt the mood swiftly drop in the room. It really is a vicious tactic, but an empty stomach takes the fight out of anyone, making it extremely effective.

"I won't give up. A time to escape will present itself, and I'll get outa here." I guess being in a situation like this allows for him to concentrate on something for more than a minute. 'That was a mean thought. I barely know him, don't go insulting the poor guy.' I guessed I was just bitter at being here also and was lashing out at those around me.

Ignoring the interplay between the others, I instead stood and took stock of the situation. My fore paws were still sore and pained, but otherwise intact. If I ran at full speed they would likely begin to bleed again but they were not unusable. I gathered a better look outside the cage then I had gained the other day, taking all that I could in.

It was your standard terrain vehicle basement room, modified to hold our cages. Basement only meaning the lower deck from the living quarters above. Typically another room or supply area. The whole set up seemed fairly advanced, so these two were well funded. 'Meaning they hold a fairly high esteem in the organization, you're not just given this kind of equipment. They must be good at what they do to have gotten this far with the rockets. This means escape will be all the more difficult, they won't slip up like rookies would.'

Standing on my hind legs I gripped the thin bars and took wide glances to the side, trying to discern as much as I could. Besides the grass and poison type glass vented cages and the fire type ceramic cages, there were also regular steel barred holding cells. These were for ground and fighting pokemon. Of the two I could make out, a couple sandshrew were held in one and the other contained a primeape. 'He could bend those bars if he got worked up enough, likely they put restraints on him... or her actually. Considering I can hardly make them out from here.'

"So, the vicious rodent decided to get up finally." My gaze twitched to the gruff fire types accommodations. I paid him no mind and continued to look around, there was a couch near the doorway and a first aid kit hung above it. "You weren't so quiet last night. What's wrong? Persian got your tongue?"

'He's been in here so long he's taken to harassing the others for his kicks, giving any sign of annoyance will just be fuel for him.' "Something like that." My voice was far deeper than it had been when I was a pichu, I found with this first voiced moment. It was still high pitched but not nearly as much as it had been, nor as much as most of the other pikachu's voices were. It made me really happy knowing my fairly deep voice I held as a human translated over to this species as well.

"Eh?" It was Shock from my left, "You don't sound familiar, who's that? Is it you Stratus? Or did they grab Trek? They said something about a pichu evolving..."

"So he's the wittle baby that's all alone in the big wide world? Welcome to life without your mommy to ween you runt!" The fire type guffawed loudly in my direction. 'Man, hes good at getting on your nerves. One of his best moves has to be taunting the opponent into making mistakes.'

I was about to reply when a sharp bump rocked the vehicle and sent my head colliding with the metal ceiling. I ignored the ravenous laughs of the agitator to instead rub at my now upset cranium. 'Who's driving this thing? They must have gone over a boulder for that kind of effect.'

"You okay little dude? Well, not so little anymore now huh..." Though nice, his concern was something I didn't need right now. 'A small bump like that is nothing.'

"Yes, I'm fine Shock. Trek, Thunder, and Swift all got away from what I had last seen." I decided there was nothing to be had from simply looking about the room, so I turned my attention instead to the gate that held me back from the outside world. I felt my reply was short and rude, but right now I was simply too focused to be bothered.

"Oh, it's you then Stratus. Hell of a way to end up eh? You get outa that lake only to end up here. Did some gengar curse you or something?" Shock chuckled at his own joke, an attempt to ease the tension.

"Poor Thunder, I don't relish how Cirrus and Nimbus will take him coming back with only Trek." A female below my own cage spoke aloud. It could be a calmed down Rain, but it was just as likely another. I really only knew Shock out of the other four captured pikachu.

"Stupid ratattas! Don't you get it!? You're trapped in here and there's nothing you can do about it! How can you be concerned for how others are when you're stuck like this?! Morons!" I'd had about enough of this guy.

"Better spirited and still caring than a husk of a creature who's given up on everything. You're little better than dead, forgive us for not being as disgustingly lonesome a sight as yourself." I regretted my harsh words as soon as I had uttered them. I don't like confrontations and more so insulting people, whether they deserved it or not. Saying things like that helped nothing in the end, except to fuel a momentary gratification of causing another verbal harm. Being in this situation had worn my nerves thin and my patience even thinner however. I knew I could have been meaner and was glad my tongue was held in check by at least that much.

I heard him slam against the front of his cell and a claw scrape along it loudly. There was a low growl that escaped it's confines and I knew it had to be an arcanine. A growlithe wasn't as big as he had sounded, unless he was just a really loud growlithe I guess. "You'd better hope I never do get out of here rodent. I've been starved and you're just about enough to get me back home." That voice sent my heart skipping beats and it took all that I could to keep my hands from shaking terribly. Instead I gripped the bars harder and continued my examination.

My efforts proved futile however and I eventually retreated to the back of my cage, one enemy more than when I had begun. The room had grown deathly silent after our little clash of words. It was a really dismal situation to be in and I didn't blame them for their lack of energy. The day went by quickly, the vehicle eventually stopping at what I assumed was night time. There were no windows or port holes to the outside in this room. Long since sealed over to hide the illegal cargo it was to carry.

Some of the pokemon talked in passing throughout the day, but I ignored them for the most part. Lost to my own thoughts and planning I tried to consider different scenarios and possible situations where I could make my swift exit. Eventually, my mind had worn itself ragged from a day of concentration and dark thoughts of a carnivorous canine wishing to consume me. It made me wish my own faithful growlithe was here to defend me as in the past.

------------------------------------------

I awoke once more to the movement of the vehicle. Something was wrong however. Something with the background noise was off and eventually this was proved when there was a sharp pang noise that shot through the air causing pain to my delicate ear drums and forced me to flatten and then cover them with my paws in the false hope of protecting them from the noisy abuse.

The vehicle rocked wildly and eventually came to a sliding and jerked halt, slamming me into the front of my enclosure. All around me gasps of shock were coming from the other pokemon, also wondering what had happened. They eventually calmed down as no answer seemed to be forth coming. After a time of being stopped I began to look around the room again. Nothing appeared to be damaged or affected in our favor however. Even attempting to shock the wiry bars held the same results as the day before, the mechanism was still in perfect working order. 'Guess I'm not that lucky.'

After a time the ringing in my ears died down, and I began to sink back into the floor. Before I could get comfortable, the door ahead opened up to reveal a red haired young lady making her way into the room. Her head held a black baseball cap with a solid red 'R' on it, her hair pulled back in a pony-tail whose end rested on her shoulder. She wore a pair of gray overalls with the team rocket insignia on the left breast and possibly the back as was so common.

"Oh thank goodness... Ma stomach waz startin' to go an eat itself it was." This voice sounded fairly close to that of a pikachu's but it was much farther away and sounded a little raspier than high pitched. It was one of our rodent cousins, a sandshrew, if my ears were as apt at pinpointing as they were meant to be. It'll take me a time to get used to them doing that automatically. It always seemed to be the right one down and the left one up. I vaguely wondered why that was. 'I guess she's the "ditz" that does the grunt work around here, feeding the captured pokemon included.' She proceeded into the room, looking around at us all.

"Don't make a noise now, you hear me guys?" This was certainly odd, and suspicious. I stood back up and came to the forefront of my cell to get a better look. The young woman, she looked like some seniors from my old high school so I guessed eighteen or nineteen, was moving about the grass cages, undoing the locks. She was saying something to them that I couldn't make out.

'What's all this then?' My hopes were soaring higher now than when I'd seen Raiden's feet land in front of me coming to my rescue that day weeks back. My poor heart was in overload pounding in my ears as I tried to believe beyond all possibilities that she was a savior rather than a menace. A belsprout left it's cage and began to beat a hasty exit through the opened doorway followed by a gloom. I began to feel those two were simply trained to be like that but just as quickly the girl was working on the fire cages.

After she'd opened them she moved onto some cages directly to my left that I had been incapable of seeing with my peripheral vision. I just barely noted some movement heading to the stairs from the ceramic coffins that had been opened. My excitement at being free once more had taken control of me and I could barely contain myself. I had no patience what so ever at this point, I wanted her to help me and now.

Finally, after several weedle and beedrills beat a retreat she was working on the pikachu cells. I saw Shock and a female bouncing out as the girl began to work on the cage below my own. Getting a better look at this saint among saints(maybe my opinion was biased at this point) I took stock of her features. She had a small button nose below sapphire eyes, her lips were pressed into a thin line due to her focus and concentration, and her cheeks were lightly freckled.

Finally, another pikachu was free and she was opening my own doorway. It felt like eternity before it opened up and I barely waited a moment for her to move, instead brushing past her in my haste to exit. I almost started for the doorway but held myself back. Instead I looked about at the other cages. She only had one more pikachu to release but there were still three of those hefty steel blocks to the side. They used a simple latching feature far to the top of them, one I could easily undo without my opposable thumbs.

The sooner they were all free the less likely those two rocket scum would find her in the midst of this little escapade. I wasn't about to assume that they were incapacitated and I wasn't the type to flee without helping if I was able. I leaped to the top of the sandshrew cage first and began to fumble with the stiff latch. All I had to do was shove it to the side to release the locks, but with my poor muscular structure and leverage from standing on the tips of my hind paws to reach it, it proved a daunting task. After some struggling I managed to work it to the side. My cheeks had begun to spark from my exertion. Gasping for air I watched as the two sandshrew made their exit, one bowing to me slightly on the way out.

The young woman gave me a surprised look in passing but otherwise went to work on the primeape after quickly switching out it's latch. He was indeed restrained with heavy bindings on his arms. Skipping the two at work I began to undo the last cage myself. I got it to click faster than the first one, thankfully, and a male and female nidoran left in a swirl of dust. The girl was already at the doorway looking about the room before nodding to herself and leaving it entirely.

I proceeded to leave, giving my own sweep to make sure all the cages had been opened when I headed for the doorway myself. A giant paw set itself upon my path however, before I could make it. It looked like he had been waiting for me to pass from inside his cage. In that moment my euphoria of thrilling freedom was silenced by the cruel arcanine that decided it would make good on it's threat. "Where do you think you're going rat? Did you forget our dinner arrangements?" He gave me a horrible leer, obviously pleased with his wit. 'Whatever happened to not playing with your food? Actually... scratch that thought.'

I wanted to make my own snarky reply but I was too tense and on guard. I looked about once again, trying to formulate some kind of plan. An idea came to me just before he had pounced at me, trying to take a bite out of my hide. Dodging to the side towards the couch, I let him slide past me with the force of his leap and I jumped for the door. I got behind it and pushed against the wall with all my might to get it to begin moving. It started to creek as it moved to close me and the canine in the room.

Scrambling to get to the stairway on the other side of it, having to rush past it's slowly moving front, before it closed. I barely made it outside the cell room before the resounding click filled the stairwell. I felt the hair on the tip of my tail get caught in the door, and I painfully had to pull it free. I had lost a bit of yellow fur to the metal contraption, hopefully the only casualty today.

A slam echoed from the doorway causing me to back up into the first step of the stairs. I could hear the growling and clawing behind it and then the doorway began to feel hot. 'He's trying to melt the treated metal with flamethrower...' I started up the stairs, looking back only briefly with regret. 'He had chosen that our meeting would end with him or me and I wasn't about to give up here.' I knew he wouldn't likely escape that tank of a room and felt sorry that he had traded one cage for another. I'm sure he'll eventually gain his freedom, but it wouldn't be anytime soon. With any luck, he wouldn't use up all of his energy and collapse from exhaustion in a critical state due to his lack of food. 'Hopefully this will teach him to deal with his anger problem better.'

Turning away from his muddled howling I instead began to hop my way up the steps to what I hoped would be freedom. At the end of them was a common top floor to one of these vehicles. A small kitchen area, with a bed and coach off to the side, a table with some chairs. The stairs I stood at was located in the middle of this room, with the sleeping arrangements placed at the back. I made my way past the trounced and messed up dining area to jump down the stairs near the driving area and into the wide open world beyond.

Never before had air tasted so crisp as this. It was exhilarating tasting fresh air under a blue sky once more. Before I could enjoy it though some one was shouting my name from some bushes to the side. We were in a clearing and some tracks from whence the all terrain traveling vehicle had come were apparent from the disturbed and mostly destroyed flora behind it. Shock was gesturing at me wildly to follow him, he'd waited for me instead of leaving with the others. I started to make my way to him when the sounds of a battle became apparent.

Looking under, past the raised vehicle, I could see the girl facing down the two rocket seniors. I looked back to Shock, he had a wild look on his face. He was obviously anxious and wished nothing more to go as quickly as possible. "Go ahead without me! I'm going to give her a hand!" I could hardly believe the words that left my mouth. Did I think I was some trained fighter to go out and battle on the front line? I couldn't stop myself though, it was like a some forced reaction to help when someone was in need. I was in autopilot and no matter what my mind could have told me I wasn't likely to regain control. I was already pouncing swiftly, briefly taking note of the smoking front of the camouflage painted vehicle, underneath the broken machine to come out on the other side.

I quickly took in the information as best as I could. The rough neck was directing a beedrill and growlithe in attacking a nidoking. The female had her butterfree out and was keeping a sandslash at bay. I felt it odd that she'd only have one out but soon a diglett popping up from the ground to take strike at it's fellow ground pokemon. I saw one of the other butterfree incapacitated, I think poisoned, off to the side as well as a rattata near a tire. The girl had abandoned her team rocket paraphernalia, and wore a brown vest above a long sleeved blue shirt. She had safari cargo shorts with brown hiking boots and around her waist was the standard tool pouch so many trainers used.

"Don't think you'll get away with this enforcer! It's two against one here, you'll fall whether you want to or not!" Rachel hollered out at her opponent. 'An enforcer? That makes sense.' They were a group of pokemon trainers that acted as a militia against criminal organizations and general wrong doing in pokemon policies. Poachers were one of their main targets. They did more than just grunt work though, espionage was common place for this unit of people. They were typically made up of trainers that decided not to pursue the dream of being a champion in the pokemon battling world, instead wishing to use their combat skills to bring an end to the many injustices that were committed on a daily basis by the many criminal groups.

"The two of you won't beat me here. I'll go on with the information you so blatantly shared with me to uncover Rocket's dealings in Hoenn. Thanks for that by the way, it's too bad poor little Tina wasn't here to gain from your experience and connections." She gave a smirk, telling her nidoking to use megahorn on the growlithe.

"Tch! Little bitch! Now you've asked for it!" I saw the man begin reaching for a pokeball at his belt and began leaping towards him, cheeks ablaze. "Go Venus-" Before he could finish, I was latched to his back. He held a moment of surprise and horror before I unleashed my attack. He spasmed as the erratic lightning shot through him. After I stopped, he collapsed to his knees and then fell to the ground. I was pleased to note that my attack hadn't hurt me in the least despite the close proximity. He started to move, pokeball still in it's shrunken form, so I shocked him once more. I vaguely noted that his two pokemon were down now. The growlithe had been knocked out by the nidoking's horn attack, and the beedrill followed after a moment of hesitation upon it's master being attacked.

"Dammit! No choice but to jet." I heard Rachel scrambling to my right but I stayed focused on my task of keeping the man subdued with continuous paced shocks. "Get offa him ya damned rat!" Then there was pain. I felt something large and firm slam horribly into my side and I was thrown off the man, rolling across the ground to come to a stop near where I had entered this little battle. My vision danced and I tasted some blood at the corner of my mouth where I'd bit my lip. I tried to get up and steady myself, but the double vision was simply the precursor to my blacking out. 'I think she hit me with a wrench...'

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The silence of the world lay unbroken as voices permeated through only the minds of those that could hear, and there were none. A silent conversation shared with no one save those that held it. 'I have to say, I'm very confused.'

'Is that so?' A voice far softer and gentler than the first replied. Their differences greatly created simply by comparison. One would compare the whimsical and gentle fall of a feather to the clumsy and swift drop of a leaf upon seeing them both, that was their difference.

'A group of delinquents hunt one last day due to mechanical problems and just happen upon a group of pikachu. This group has a mole that intercepted the new recruit and replaced her in the party before it started off. In the middle of it all a certain human resides. I'm confused as to what you find so amusing about him as to bother with such lengths, or am I to assume this was all coincidence?'

'I must say that I am quite surprised.'

'Oh?'

'Are you volunteering to entertain me?'

A short tense moment of shock of an unsettled nature gripped the surroundings, the leaf had received a prospect most dire. 'So, what's happening with him now?' The hesitant reply struggled to form into a concept, kept as nonchalant as possible.

A soft titter filled the surroundings, known only to those that could hear it, and heard it they did. The occupiers of a waterfall cavern then realized why it had been vacant and began to depart.

END Chapter 13 - Enforcing Freedom

Parting Author Note: Another one bites the dust. So you know, I didn't point out the people's sizes in feet and inches cause I didn't figure Jek would be a good judge of height just yet in his current state. Thus aside from the size of his cage(which he had lots of time to throughly examine) I've mostly kept sizes fairly vague. I don't think he's used to estimating somethings height with his current lower perspective. Also, this chapters end may have felt a bit sparse in description, I was trying to communicate the hasty nature of his departure with so much happening and the information assaulting him all at once. Last part being right before he got conked and right after the arcanine.

YEEEE HHHHAAAAAAWWWW!!! Missed it? Two days is a long time compared to the rest of the updates. I actually felt awkward and it took me longer to get this chapter started. I'll have to refrain from longer than a days pause or I may lose that creative activity and fail my number one writing challenge.


	14. Confusing Interactions

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: With everyday I grow better, stronger, faster. We have the technology so why must I suffer!(bad Karaoke)

Got caught up with a DvD box set of the four 'Tremors' movies, so I was a bit late in doing this than normal. The Tremors could not to be ignored...

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 14 - Confusing Interactions

When I awoke, my first prevailing thought was simply that 'Being a pokemon is not that great.' In the last few weeks, I've had more life or death situations and run ins with pain and harm than I had the sixteen years I lived as a human. I'd never had to use my mace or flash bombs yet whilst out and about, they were simply a precaution. What's more, this is just what happened while I was sheltered and protected by a large group of my fellow chu's, 'If I hadn't been taken in by them how much worse would it have been?' It was a question I didn't want to dwell on considering I was no longer with them.

'Wait, where am I?' Immediately my lucid musings in a sleep like state ended and I focused on the waking world. Before I could even tell what was going on around me in anyway I was already feeling a heightened sense of fear and caution. My eyes darted open and I looked frantically around me for any sign of danger. It was a simple room with forest scenery painted walls. It couldn't be any bigger than a small kitchen. Guessing the room was about as high as a tall person and a little less deep, I could only be in some kind of a pokemon holding pen. One side held the framed line of a doorway with a grate porthole of some form at the top of it.

Something shifted under my feet as I was gazing about my surroundings, drawing my attention to my "bed" of a few moments before. I'd been on a pile of actual hay it seemed, it was odd seeing the real thing after having gotten used to the make shift supplies the pikachu used. I was completely alone in this room but I couldn't shake this fear even after confirming it. I wanted to hide under something but there was nowhere for me to go. It took me awhile standing in a flight or fight panic with my pouches sparking slightly to figure out what could be the cause.

'I don't smell any other pikachu...' Smelling the air as best as I could, I gathered the scents of several pokemon but none of them were necessarily friendly in my nasals opinion. 'That must be it, pikachu are herd animals. Being alone and stuck out in the open is like asking for something to come get you.' Though I knew I was closed in a room all of my own, I still couldn't shake this feeling. All this time I'd been surrounded by the scent of other pikachu's, be it from them nearby or saturated into the area, so I had never encountered this problem. 'I haven't had any difficulty with my instincts yet really, this is definitely a new thing.'

I wondered what else I'd have problems with, come the future, but for now couldn't concentrate while shaken up so greatly. Trying to make myself comfortable on the bed I ignored it as best as I could before I ended up pacing the room and eventually sitting in a corner farthest from the doorway. At least with walls to my back I felt I had more protection than not.

'I doubt Team Rocket would bother making a friendly and spacious area for a captured pokemon, likely that enforcer picked me up after I'd been knocked cold.' My mind began to race with all the different possibilities that came with this scenario. The most believable would simply be that I was in a pokemon treatment center of some form. I'd never really visited them considering my lack of interest in being a trainer. The only time I'd gone was one of the times my families growlithe had to be taken to the pokemon center for a routine checkup. Normally Mom would run the errands without me but I had gone along that day to get several books I needed from the store. This didn't look like the room I'd been to though, so I wasn't able to confirm anything.

'Hopefully it's a pokemon center, and not some private holding area of her own.' That would mean she'd decided to keep me for herself for whatever reason. It's not as though pikachu are common or anything, despite their popularity as pets. 'Now that I think on it, why haven't I seen more pikachu considering how much people like them?' I knew they weren't very common around populated area's, instead staying far out in the wild, but they are breeding mouse type pokemon. With their increased birth rate I'd figure there'd be a whole lot more of them. 'I guess their instincts to hide and run, especially with their...our incredible speed, make us hard to capture if we're found at all. Not that those Rockets had much difficulty. Though, out of fourteen they only did manage to get us five, so that's saying something.'

Thinking of how many offspring pikachu have left me confused. 'I bet someone would make a fortune by breeding pikachu, I can't imagine they wouldn't if they're able.' I know some pokemon don't react well to captivity, perhaps this is so for pikachu. I could only guess that this played some deciding factor in this, I had no clue as to what however. 'Perhaps people just want a pikachu but don't actually go to get one.' That seemed just as likely as any other possibility. It was a mystery I wasn't going to solve anytime soon.

My ears perked into their positions as I heard footsteps coming down the hall. My hearing read where the footsteps were and how fast they were going, something I could do as a human if I tried but not to this degree. I could almost see the footsteps with each pang of sound that echoed to me, some invisible marker just beyond my vision of the door tracing the progress. Finally they seemed to pass by my cell for a moment, at my angle I saw a flash of yellowish hair before it had gone. The steps paused and started to come back before stopping in front of my room though, and I saw shape of a persons head looking into my room.

"I see you're awake then." A blond haired lady cast her lensed gaze into my room for a second before nodding to herself and departing once more. 'I guess she was just checking up on me, likely they'll send someone after she informs them of my woken state.' The steps continued down for several paces before turning away from me, going down what must be a hallway. I lost them shortly after that, the sound becoming too muddled to make out properly. Having been straining my ears to follow her I took note of other sounds that I received. Mostly that of other pokemon breathing and moving about what I could only assume was their own rooms.

'Unless that Enforcer was rich and could hire aids like that, I have to be in a pokemon center of some form.' My stomach cut my musings short by making it's will known, 'How could I have not noticed this horrible pain!?' It felt like my gut was being ripped apart, leaving me reeling with the discomfort. I hadn't eaten in a few days, and now it'd caught up to me. I tried to focus on some different thoughts but they were lost to this new dilemma. There was no water or food around here that I could see and thus was left with no way to fix my problem.

After an indeterminable amount of time, paws gripping my poor mistreated stomach, I heard footfalls once more. I couldn't bring myself to concentrate on them as fully as I would have liked, my digestive systems rage wouldn't be ignored now that it had my attention. It wasn't until they had stopped in front of my room and began to open the door that I managed to squeeze my eyes open to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

'Impossible!' It was a pink haired woman with a pony tail tied up in a loop on either side of her head, she was nurse Joy. 'I can't be back in Lavender town.' Even as I thought this I mentally slapped myself. I had heard of her twin sisters from many others that had gone to different towns, I just hadn't seen any of the others myself yet. I had no reason to go into the pokemon centers at the different towns really, they offered lodgings and food to trainers but I wasn't a trainer and thus not allowed to use the facilities unless I was in a critical state or having an emergency. Of course I'd think she was the one I had known since I'd never met any of the others. It was truly uncanny though, how identical they were. I'd only seen one pair of twins in school before, and they had a lot plainer hairstyles.

As soon as she stepped into the room I caught a whiff of her scent and immediately the under torrent of fear that had been plaguing me like a swarm of mosquitoes was washed away. 'This must be why they're so good with pokemon, she feels so safe and gentle.' I almost felt like I was back at the colony with Cirrus and Nimbus as nurse Joy walked the few steps that separated us. She wore the typical nurse outfit that I'd seen so many times on Joy in the Lavender Town pokemon center.

"Hello there. How are you doing today?" She'd stopped in front of me to kneel down, and then stuck out her hand slowly for my inspection. I knew she was doing this for my benefit, so I could sniff her hand and know she meant no harm. Having a person do this to me was absolutely humiliating, I could hardly believe what I was seeing almost. She didn't know I was human before so I was aware that she meant no offense, but it was irksome all the same.

"It's fine, I'm not afraid or worried." Actually talking to a person now, while a pikachu, I noticed how different our words sounded when presented to each other. It didn't sound like I was saying 'pikachu' in different variants when I spoke, but neither did my words sound like hers to my ears. I hadn't really paid it much attention when I was around all those pikachu at the colony since none of them spoke human as I used to, so I had nothing to compare the differences to. Thinking on it, I figured my ears must be a lot more sensitive to sounds now than they used to be. 'Maybe I'm not hearing just "pikachu" when I talk because I'm picking up a number of other sounds when I say things that collage into them.' This begged the question as to why pokemon called themselves the same things as we did. 'Maybe that was just the meaning that my mind created from the words they'd said since that's what their species names meant to me?' I was in a really unique situation that could reveal a lot of new information, but I'm not a scientist. I can ask the question just fine but I'm not particularly able to answer them as they could.

'Possibly pokemon use frequencies higher than the range a humans ears can hear?' I figured they'd have researched this already but maybe it's still being analyzed and discovered. There are still many things we don't know about pokemon after all and I wouldn't be surprised if this possibility was still on the list of things to "Investigate next." I didn't think it'd be a high priority compared to all the other things in need of research, considering all the factors. Why look into the frequencies of what a pokemon says when you can gauge the powers and uses of their innate special abilities. Not to mention all the technology and funding going into the continued research on maintenance and control of the creatures.

For a second I thought she had understood my words as if I'd spoken to her in my native tongue, but it seemed more like she'd caught the gist of my statement rather than the exact meaning. 'I guess you pick up a few things when you work with so many pokemon all the time.' Before I knew it she was scratching behind my ear and then petting me down my back. I was completely shocked at this invasion of personal space, never in my life did I figure I'd be treated to this kind of action. As demeaning as I knew it to be, it felt really good all the same. Considering my current form and situation I didn't find myself caring all that much about the specifics.

In the end, I just thought 'What does it matter really? She was just doing a technique to get the pokemon she's about to treat to be more accepting of her ministrations. Just let Joy do her thing and be done with it.' Of course, my pessimistic resignation didn't stop my tail from wagging slightly. I tried to cease it's movements but to no avail, it was mostly an instinctual controlled appendage. I don't recall ever purposely moving it on my own except to put it close to myself when I went to sleep in that cell. Perhaps with time I'll have better control over it, like a muscle that I needed to gain consciousness of first.

To my credit, I did manage to resist pulling myself further into her contact. As she eventually stopped, I had just felt the beginning of a purr come into my throat. Left feeling both glad that it had ended while internally sad at the loss of her attentions, I tried to shake these feelings away.

"I'll bet you're starving." She was reaching into a shoulder bag that I had failed to notice in my pain during her arrival, which returned in full as soon as my attention was directed to it once more. Luckily, I was spared much more of my torment as two metal bowls were placed in front of me. She filled one with water and the other with pokechow of some form. I wasn't really knowledgeable in the way of what pokechow different pokemon eat and such. It looked like any other variety of the dry food people gave their pokemon, though I'm sure it was a special blend for my current species.

In the back of my mind I was hesitant to eat like this in front of the young woman, but I was already in front of the dishes greedily consuming their contents. I tried to slow down, even stop, since I was abjectly against eating like an animal in front of my fellow man, well woman, but it was like I didn't even have a say in it. I'd eaten like this without care from leaves and open wells for awhile now, why would it matter now? 'Because I'm in front of my species again, we're supposed to be dignified and civilized. This isn't a way a human should be eating...' None of this stopped me though. I was vaguely aware of her rubbing my back again but I paid it no mind until my stomach's anger had been quelled. I noted that the dry food that I'd eaten had tasted good, what little I had tasted of it anyway. I'd more inhaled the food than anything else.

"Feeling all better now?" I simply nodded my head to her. I was sitting on my rump leaning forward with my front propped slightly upwards by my forepaws, allowing her a better angle to pet me. I tried my hardest to combat the content feeling in me, so much so that it was driving my inner psyche to the brink of madness. Finally, I managed to struggle myself onto all fours and stood on my haunches, breaking the link as it were. She seemed a bit startled that I had broken from her so suddenly, while seeming to have been enjoying her touch, but took no lasting sorrow from the loss of contact.

"I guess you're feeling more spirited now." She was always smiling it seemed like, I doubted if there was ever a moment that she didn't have one on her face. "In that case I hope you don't mind if I check you over, make sure you're doing alright." She wanted to give me a secondary examination I guess. I couldn't imagine her just putting me in here without having looked at me first. "I just want to make sure you recovered from that nasty bump you came in with." She began to pull out various medical objects from her shoulder strap while I idly rubbed my head where Rachel had hit me.

'That's right, I got smacked in the head with a wrench... I think, I didn't actually see the object, but I feel just fine regardless of whatever had cold clocked me.' No headache, bruise, bump or anything. It's like I hadn't gotten hit at all. This was a bit distressing actually, 'How long had I been out to recover so fully from this?' Taking my attention from this dilemma, I looked at the array of items she'd pulled out. All of them seemed little different than some of what I'd been the recipient of during previous checkups. The only change in the inventory would be the thick rubber gloves, of which she promptly equipped. Seeing her looming over me tightening the gloves gave me an unsettling feeling of nervousness. 'Just what exactly will this examination entail?'

-------------------------

After a time of being poked and prodded nurse Joy finally ceased her actions. She'd checked my ears, fur, mouth, eyes, limbs, where I'd gotten decked in my head, and even my individual clawed fingers. Just about every outer inch of me and even some internal via her stethoscope. Through the whole of it I just grinned and bore the process. What could I do really, I wanted to know whether I was healthy or not just as much as she did. After she put her items away, a clipboard was pulled out and she recorded whatever it is she does with whatever information she's gathered. Not as though they ever showed me the clipboard when they examined me in the past.

"Looks like you made a full recovery!" She seemed about as happy as I did at this discovery, which was really happy. A head wound and concussion type things aren't to be taken lightly. I was beyond relieved to know that was one less thing to worry about. 'Last thing I want is irreparable brain damage from getting sucker punched with a heavy metal device of pain.'

I really wondered how long I'd been bedridden, but then I know pokemon heal faster than humans so I didn't figure it'd have been too long. If it had, I wouldn't be in a room like this and my muscles would have felt a lot more sore and tired from prolonged disuse. 'If it has been a few days, why did my stomach feel so empty?' My only guess would be that they used an IV of some form which hadn't helped my stomach any despite keeping me sustained nutrient wise.

Nurse Joy stood back up and started to leave the room. I began to follow her but she stopped me with a hand sign, "I'm sorry pikachu, I know you probably don't like it in here but it'll be just a little while longer before I pull you out later today, alright?" With this she backed out of the room and closed the door firmly. I was fine with having more time to think to myself about this recent development.

'It seems that I'm in a pokemon center being cared for by a nurse Joy. After living off of a pichu, and then a pikachu's, instincts for almost a month has allowed them to ingrain themselves into my habits and actions. I'm unaware of what Joy has planned for me as of yet also. I'm likely near the southern base of Mount Moon and I need to get to the northern side of it to reach that cave once more. All in all, not too terrible, but not really that great either.' Nurse Joy is always helpful and from what I understand, so I didn't see myself being in much danger. They all keep a chansey as a helper to, from what I understood. 'That's it!' The plan hit me and began to unfold more as it looked better in my eyes with each passing moment.

'I can tell one of nurse Joy's chansey what happened to me and then they can translate it to their trainer! I doubt Joy can speak pokemon, but with how close she likely is to her chansey it'd be silly for them to not be able to communicate in some manner.' I couldn't imagine Joy being a sinister person that would abuse or misuse the information of my problem in anyway. The worst case scenario would be that she'd entrust me into the care of someone who was of a shady nature. However, I couldn't just take all this in stride, I need help, badly.

With this plan firmly set in my mind I was surprised to hear my room approached once more. The steps sounded different than the other times, so I felt it would be someone new. 'Three people to pass by a lone pikachu's cell? I'm fairly popular today.' The door opened to reveal the enforcer of all people to step into the room and greet me. She was in the same outfit as the last time I saw her and I wondered, not for the first time, if trainers bought several of one outfit that they liked and just continuously cycled them out, or if they just went a few days or more without changing their clothes.

"Hey there pikachu." She beamed down at me, obviously glad I was up and about. "I was supposed to head out of here after I dropped you off the other day, but I decided to stay behind and thank you for your help." She had gone to her knees and was petting my head as nurse Joy had. After she'd saved me from that cell I really didn't have the heart to turn her away, though this seemed more an excuse to myself to not fight it. "That bloke was gonna pull out his trump card, I would've been done for sure if you hadn't stepped in like that." She'd stopped and was grinning at me. I gave her what I felt had to be a smirk, I was happy to take that guy down like that, giving him a little return of what he'd shared with me.

"You'd just evolved from a pichu I know, but you still helped me open those cages and even stayed behind to help take down those gangsters while your fellows all took off. You've got a lot of spirit." She stood back up and I couldn't help the heat that rose to my face at such a compliment. 'I don't shock myself when I get embarrassed anymore at least.' She looked at me for a time before she started to talk again, "I'm an Enforcer. I'm not sure if you know what that is but I keep the peace against people like those guys that caught you and your friends. Groups like Team Rocket are constantly hurting the innocent and taking advantage of people and pokemon alike. My goal is to stop them at every turn."

'Enforcers are typically made up of a good enough bunch. It doesn't surprise me that she'd be so driven like this. Why she's explaining this to me though, I haven't a clue about. Would a normal pokemon even understand all that she was saying? I'll bet she feels I'm smarter than your average chu at least. Having opened those cages, it's only natural really.' I just continued to look up at her, waiting for her to come to a close with her speech.

"After that little event back there, I really wanted to speak to you like this." She cleared her throat and then placed her hands on her hips gazing into my eyes with her sincerest look, "I wanted to ask you to join me... will you help me protect the innocent?"

END Chapter 14 - Confusing Interactions

Parting Author Note: ooooo! The first time I've given you guys a cliff hanger. I wonder... hmmmm.....

I know these grammar and spelling corrections when I think about them, but being one man doing a 4k wordage a day on average, I miss a lot still. I've been playing an online game for a few years now so my habitual typing of words has degraded a bit as well(I'm making it clear here and now that I'm the oddball that speaks in proper sentences in those games). I edit the story 3 times but I don't catch it all. Once while I'm going through, then again while I do spellcheck. Then I upload and go through it in the web browser, since it looks different on there I catch things I'd missed before in just normal wordpad.

Things you guys haven't seen yet? I spell moment as 'momment' every time out of typing habit, and again (and every 'ain' thing') as 'agian' with the 'i' before the 'a'. Not to mention all the finallys, eventuallys etc. where I fail to add the second 'l' at the end of them. I thank the heavens everyday that at least these, and the other habits not mentioned here, are kept to myself thanks to the awesome power of spellcheck. :P Also, for some reason whenever I type 'remember' it always comes out as 'rmemeber', since my m's and e's get offset somehow when I type this one word. I've switched to using 'recall' instead while online because of this. LoL, it's so sad.

Anyone that finds something that needs to be corrected, grammatical or spelling wise, please feel free to PM me. I'm more than happy to edit these issues since I know how errors can trip up a person reading the material. Whenever I run into an error like that while reading it really disrupts my flow.

Yee Haw! Another varmint bites the dust!


	15. Fearful Possibilities

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Ran some errands and then went out and about last night. I'm sure none of you mind that it's been every other day rather than daily, but I feel like I'm missing my own mark. Hopefully life will have calmed down and I can get back on track soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 15 - Fearful Possibilities

"After that little event back there, I really wanted to speak to you like this." She cleared her throat and then placed her hands on her hips gazing into my eyes with her sincerest look, "I wanted to ask you to join me... will you help me protect the innocent?"

Her question hung in the air, thick with possibilities and destiny. I could almost see the crossroad of my life lying before me at this point in time. I think she knew it too, how good we'd be as partners. I was set in shock, unable to focus properly on anything. I hadn't considered this event at all and the pull left me feeling excited. I could almost see all the visions of glory and the adventures passing before my eyes.

Completely forgetting about anything else, I saw the grand magnitude of our story as though they'd make a movie of us even, 'A girl and her pikachu take down Team Rocket.' It'd be an epic tale with the two of us side by side. My imagination was far gone with all the possibilities at this point. 'Justice prevails again! Criminal's put out of business as dynamic duo take down the organizations one at a time. Young girl retires with her pikachu from the task force having put herself out of a job. She spends the rest of her days with her pokemon enjoying the era of peace they've created. Her stud pikachu is up for- oh right' The beginning of that thought brought me horribly crashing down from any fantasies I may have been harboring.

'I'm a pikachu now and if I stay this way I'll have no life to go back to as a human. It's true that I could help a lot of people like this... but...' I felt like I was being selfish by not wanting to aid people while I was a pokemon. Instead thinking of becoming human again, but I didn't want to be a martyr either. 'I have to take care of myself before I can really help others.' The end of my days as a pikachu with this woman, it wasn't something I found to be an enjoyable prospect. Pokemon trainers typically breed out their strongest pokemon when they retire from whatever service route they decided to follow. I may only be sixteen, but I have dreams of having a family, one day at least. I had no doubt it would be awhile yet, but I did want to eventually have one.

'I could have pichu I guess...' The thought of this wasn't as disgusting as it would have been to me before this change but it still felt perverse and wrong to me as a person. Looking up at the young lady I realized that I would have found her attractive when I was human. Rugged attitude, adventurous outfit and personality... and really cute in the looks department. At this time, as I am, I felt absolutely nothing from seeing her, not in a romantic sense anyway. This half scared me since if my attraction was physical now then I'd likely prefer other pokemon.

'No, I want to have human children one day, with a human house on several open acres.' I may be young but I had thought about what I'd want in the future, and pokemon babies was not in it. At least not ones produced by me. 'I don't care what hormones this body may send at me, I won't do such a thing. Having children like this will be just as dooming an event as if She(?) told me "no" to changing me back.' I knew if I ever had children of any form I'd never leave them. Pokemon or human, they were my offspring and I'd stay by them till I died. Having pokemon children would end with me inadvertently staying like this regardless of any other factor.

This young lady before me still held that breath of anticipation, she could feel the fate heavy in the room as I could. It truly broke my heart to shake my head no to her, "I'm sorry..." I wanted to say more, whether she understood me or not, but my throat was tight at turning away this offer. I felt like I was shying away from a greatness I could never achieve with another route in my life.

Her shocked look said it all, she'd hardly been expecting a refusal either. I'll bet she had seen the great tale unfolding as I had and was ready to meet it's call, wholly expecting me to jump into the fray as her partner. 'I'm sorry, but I'd be sacrificing too much.' I felt like this body was a poison that was eating away at my lifespan, I couldn't enjoy myself or properly help anyone while set with this kind of mentality. I didn't want to insult pikachu that lived as they do, I won't say either of our lives or life styles were better or worse than the other, but I knew what I wanted and it was to live as a human with our human ways and lives.

"E-Eh?" She'd stuttered in her surprise, taking a moment to fully grasp what my reply had been. She went to her knees and looked intently at me up close, "Are you certain? I mean... I know we'd be great! I'll protect you and treat you well if that's what you're worried about. I haven't met a feral pokemon that was half as smart as you are and you're barely an adult! That kind of skill combined with your small size... it'd be brilliant I'm telling you." She was almost crying, the disappointment and loss of a possible friend she'd felt a connection with was too much for her.

I was the bearer of bad news to once again by shaking my head a second time. I was far more hesitant in the face of her sadness and longing, but forced myself to do it all the same. I reached out a paw and pat her on the cheek as a way of apology. Leaning back away from me she wiped some of her eyes moisture away and gave a weak chuckle, "I have to say, I'm really disappointed. I felt for sure this was a turning point, I was really hopin'..." She stopped talking and shook her head. Standing she addressed me once more, "I was hoping we'd make great partners but I understand that you don't want to follow this career. For whatever reasons you may hold I'll respect them." She seemed to realize something and grinned at me, "So you can understand what I say though can't you? Usually a pokemon takes awhile with their trainer before they can communicate..."

I just gave her a shrug at this insight. 'I don't think she'd be a bad gal to try and convince of my previous nature but I think nurse Joy is the safer bet really. I'd rather stick to my original plan than be hasty about this situation.'

She gained a wistful look staring at me before she eventually turned and began to leave. "Regardless, thank you for the help back there. I hope we meet again." She smiled brightly at me and waved before beginning to close the door. It snapped back open as she gasped, something important dawning on her, "I completely forgot to introduce myself. Here we are meeting and greeting and I hadn't even said my name. I'm Sara Kimbl, it was a pleasure to meet you." I gave her my name, but I'm sure all she understood was some 'pika's. She just giggled and replied back with, "Goodbye for now.. Sparky." I guess in her own mind that was the name she'd chosen to give me. She was gone, leaving me alone to feel my sense of loss after this. With a name like that in store for me though, a cynical side of me was more than glad I'd dodged that bullet.

'It was for the best... I can't be running around like that right now. I'm not the type to enjoy the moment and let the future come as it may.' This didn't feel quiet right when I said it, 'Well, I hadn't thought I was. When I was a pichu it sure felt that way. I did plan ahead for the eventuality though, but...' As I thought about this all, I was once more aware of that underlining fear that seemed unavoidable. It really was getting annoying. It's like I'm afraid of the dark even though I know what's in it, and it's not dark, but that doesn't stop me from being afraid. Fear is obviously unaffected by logic.

After a time of being left to my own devices I was once more graced with nurse Joys presence. A sight for sore eyes, I hoped she was coming to take me out and possibly meet her chansey. I was trying my best to keep patient but I was definitely feeling anxious to get this plan going before something disrupts me.

"Are you feeling up for a little trip?" She was smiling like always and stooped down to me. I nodded my head and approached her, showing I was ready to go when she was, and was picked up when I got close enough.

"I can walk on my own, it's fine really!" I gave out a startled gasp of shock at the sudden action. I had expected to follow her on the ground, I didn't like the concept of being carried around like a child... or a pet.

"It'll only be for awhile. This place is very different from what you're used to, so this is for the best alright?" She was scratching behind my ear again, much to my chagrin. Between this and her calming scent over whelming me at this range I didn't feel enough fight in me to withstand the assault on my psyche. 'I've never been very good at saying "no" to nice people anyway.'

I was free of that room finally, as we exited it on our journey to wherever she had in mind for us. I wasn't in it as long as I'd been in that cell, and it had been more friendly, but it was still a locked room all the same. I was getting ever so tired of those. Even before I was a pokemon I had been in the open wilderness more than a stuffy building. 'Well, not so stuffy considering my current size, but all the same!' I gave a cry in my mind at this thought. I was in a fairly good mood, things were looking up and my internal voice was showing the effect of these high spirits with an unusual goofy inner dialog.

The hallways were a slightly off white and looked to be extremely clean and sterile. Nothing like a hospital to make you feel like you're residence was dirty. We passed several rooms like the one I had been in, many were occupied if my ears were in fact able to earn their keep. From my vantage point I couldn't see into them, so their occupants remained a mystery to me.

Getting to the end of the hallway after several turns, we broke into an open room filled with various pokemon, tables, beds, and other stereotypical hospital things. This must be the general room where all the moderately in need of care trainer pokemon are kept at. Considering the various natural enemies were sharing each others company I felt this to be the only possibility. Several predators looked my way and I felt a spasm of terror grip me.

Nurse Joy was doing her best to calm my frazzled nerves but it was obviously difficult for the both of us. I'd never had to combat this instinctive reaction to the sight and smell of these creatures, I'd even encouraged it for the last month since it saved me and came in handy as a whole. In this peaceful setting though, it was more of a liability than anything else. I surprised myself when I managed to calm down and simply accept their presence, convincing my errant instincts that Joy was a strong herd leader that would keep them at bay seemed to work well. The fact that I had to put it into terms like this in my mind was disconcerting but there wasn't much I could do about it. Joy seemed unsettled for a moment that I had managed to calm down so quickly, as to why I wasn't sure.

A few of the pokemon glanced our way but otherwise ignored us. Joy changed her direction from heading to a hallway to instead go to the far side of the room, where I could only assume some clinic equipment area was set up considering the machinery. Stopping at the corner she sat me upon the counter near the contraption. "Don't go running off alright? You need to stay over here for a little while." She waited to make sure I understood and would obey what she'd said before letting go of me entirely. For a moment she just looked at me as I stood there before she seemed to come to a decision and nodded her head. Her actions were kind of confusing me but then I'm not really aware of what procedures they follow in clinics and the like when they have a species barrier with their patients.

She tinkered with a control panel for a moment before she motioned that I should hop onto a pad that was on the side of large metal object. 'I really wish I had looked up more information on stuff like this, I really don't like having so many unknowns.' I truly felt knowledge was power, having so little in a situation like this made me feel like I had failed myself. Even if I hadn't predicted this outcome, I should have still been prepared for it. I wasn't in any danger, but not knowing what was going on around me left me with a much hated feeling of uncertainty.

Looking up into the roof of the machine, I noted several lens and and such that covered the roof. 'If I was to guess at it, this would likely be a pokemon reading device of some sort, to gain a more detailed analysis of the pokemon's physical status.' Likely it would check for my strengths, weaknesses, and any internal problems I may have. Such as worms, a bacterial infection of some form, a tumor of all things, et cetera. I didn't really fear any of these since I had only just become like this maybe a month ago.

I doubted that She(?) would change me and go out of her way to put something like that in my new form. Not that I know her personality type or anything, it just seemed really unlikely anyone would bother with such a cruel thing as all that. She didn't seem cruel so much as enigmatically neutral.

Blue light shot down around me in little segmented lines, like multiple laser pens whose beam was invisible at some points. I was startled at first, fearing I might feel pain from this inspection. I felt absolutely nothing from this inspection, not even warmth from the lights. 'Odd, I figured I would have felt a tingling sensation at least.' Considering the level of technology that has been put into pokemon research and such, I shouldn't be too shocked at this. I wished briefly that they had such a high level of machinery for human use, but then figured pokemon had stronger bodies and could handle this sort of thing more readily than humans. 'It's not that we've developed better technology for them, just that the line for our own use takes longer to calibrate and perfect more than likely.'

After it ended I left the black rubber mat area to retake my former position near the console monitor. Joy was looking intently over the data as I heard the sound of padded feet approaching us. "You must be the pikachu that young lady brought in." Turning to the new voice, I saw the female chansey I'd been waiting to meet. "You're up and about I see. That's great! My name is Tammy." She was just as peppy as her trainer it seemed. I guess you would be a happy person to help so many people and pokemon daily.

I gave her my best smile and agreed with a nod. "I was hoping to meet you actually, there's something I could really use your help with. I go by Stratus by the way." This was it, the moment of truth. I couldn't back out of this now, however much embarrassment I might feel at whatever point that may come. It wouldn't be as bad here as it would have been when I was a pichu at the colony at least.

"Oh really? What's wrong sweetheart?" She looked genuinely concerned and I gave a silent "hurray" at this. 'So far so good, now for the plunge.'

"You see, I-" Before I could truly begin I was disrupted by the approach of a human. Glancing at her, she had the same curly golden locks that I had seen brush past my room earlier. She was a tall women with a black skirt and white dress shirt on underneath a lab coat. Her glasses were black wire framed with bifocal lenses, which she adjusted slightly as she read her clipboard upon reaching our destination.

"I see the specimen is well enough to be out and about. I'm surprised that he's in this room for testing though." 'Specimen? What?' I didn't like how this conversation was going and it hadn't even really begun. The woman looked at me briefly before turning her gaze to Joy. "Did his vitals all check out?"

"Oh, hello miss Ramone." Joy looked up from the console to address the newest arrival, "Yes, he was in perfect health. Even the data from a thorough scan came up with no difficulties."

"Hmm, I see. He seems awfully calm in here, that's unusual." She was marking something on her clipboard now, glancing at me momentarily.

"It was quite disconcerting, but yes he adapted to the setting rather quickly." The pink haired angel gave me a quick look of her own. 'Why is that such a big deal?' I just couldn't follow these medical practitioners.

Ignoring them for a moment, I turned to Tammy, who looked like she still wanted to hear what I'd had to say despite the interruptive company, "Who is this Woman here? Another doctor or nurse of some kind?"

"Oh, this ma'am is visiting from a research company. She's doing a study on the different wildlife pokemon that come through our center."

I felt cold at this, I really hoped my next question would be answered negatively, "Is she a scientist by chance?"

Tammy looked shocked that I knew what that even was but answered all the same, "Why yes, she is actually. It's amazing that you know what that is. Did you lose your owner? Is that what you needed my help with?" I didn't really pay attention to her after this. I felt my walls come crumbling down around me.

'She's a scientist. A freaking scientist!' I screamed in frustration and horror, I felt my beautiful plan evaporate in front of me in an instant. It was true I could continue onwards and likely be fine, this woman posing no direct conflict in my acquisition in help. All the same, every bad scenario that could follow this course filled my mind to the point of breaking. 'She could decide to keep the strange wild pokemon with mental delusions. Study me and prod me to see how I'd been changed like this. She works for a corperation, I can easily see them as not caring in the long run.

A lot of Scientists only look at things from a cold logical point of view also, what would my one life be compared to all they could learn from my condition.' I knew it was mean to be so biased about a group of people, but I had hit a cynical point and felt little care for the feelings of those that couldn't hear me at this point. They would all suffer in my opinion at this single turn of events. It's true a normal person can be just as cruel or dark as any other, but a scientist has far more to gain from my secret than any other group of people and thus they were the highest on my list of possible enemies.

I thought of trying to let nurse Joy know of my situation and having her not inform miss Ramone, but could easily see the young ladies kindness and innate trust playing against me in this setting. I had seen all those drama's where the protagonist suffers at the hands of some doctor-esque person with the law on their side. 'I have no desire to become one such victim.' This had seemed such a perfect opportunity and it was all for not now. I may just be being to careful, I really wanted to just throw it out there and let the dice be rolled, but this was my life on the line. I may have been frivolous with my time before but I'll take it as seriously as I can from here on. 'I'm in a dangerous position, I can't just brandy this information about. All it takes is one wrong ear catching drift of this and I'll be a goner.' I didn't want to think about organizations the likes of Team Rocket catching wind especially.

A prodding in my side brought me back to reality. The chansey was still waiting for my reply so I gave her one of my many half truths, "No, I didn't have an owner before. The leader of my herd was a trained pokemon that knew about the human world." That's assuming he shared with me this information and that he was in fact a trained pokemon. All evidence pointed to this so that's how I thought of him, but it had never been confirmed. Trying to salvage the situation to my advantage all the same I added, "I was hoping you all could help me get back to them actually. Those poachers took me away from my area and I'd love to get back there sooner than later."

"Oh..." She digested what I had said and we both turned back to the continued conversation between the two ladies.

"That's fascinating. I've never heard of domestication in a feral born pokemon so quickly. He had been a pichu before capture correct?" Ramone was furiously scribbling notes onto her parchment. 'Domesticated? What the heck?'

"Yes, the young ladies report indicated that he'd been a feral pichu with his herd when he was captured." Joy had turned back to the console and was fiddling with the different data it contained.

"Very well then, please send his data to my records accordingly. Will you be releasing him back into the wild?" Finally, my unknowing obstacle to all things good, looked up from her work.

"No, sadly it just wouldn't be wise to do, it'll be best to put him up for adoption. He'll have no trouble finding a good home I'm sure." I gasped loudly as this and looked stricken. The three females turned to look at me, two held sympathy whilst the blond woman simply noted my reaction. "Don't worry pikachu, they'll be nice like that young ma'am you helped. Not like those criminals that captured you." She completely mistook my abject horror to mean something else entirely.

"I can see that he's able to understand us somewhat at least... interesting." She marked this down in her notes as well from what I figured.

"What do you mean not release me into the wild? I have to get back to my area, I need to get back to north of Mount Moon!" I was almost panicking, surely they couldn't be serious. 'You don't just up and do this to a pokemon... person... whatever!'

Joy caught what I had meant for the most part and gave me an apologetic tone with her answer to my anxiety, "I'm sorry pikachu, really I am. You've just lost too much of your feral instincts from what I can tell. You don't have any fear in here despite it being filled with your natural predators, if we released you now you'd just get picked off. More so, you just evolved from a pichu, you don't know how to fend for yourself fully yet. I'd like to get you back to your herd but pikachu are notorious nomads. After an assault by aggressors they migrate to a new location to avoid losing more of their own. After such a large portion of your group was attacked, and captured, by those poachers they left as soon as possible to avoid any further losses. We'd be releasing you to your death, all alone in the wilderness with only an empty home to go to before another species occupies it." This was her iron clad case, I could almost feel the extra layers of concrete evidence and facts shutting me inside it's walls until I had no escape.

"I'm so sorry hun... You must miss your family something awful." It was Tammy, but I didn't turn to her. I was busy being ashen before the two humans.

"I'll be fine really! You just need to put me back in the area, I can do well enough on my own, I promise!" I was begging at this point, I knew it must have seemed pathetic but I couldn't abide by this change in plans. 'Like hell I'll be a god damned pet!' I wasn't normally crass like this, but the situation caused my words to become harsher. I knew I could escape from whatever location I ended up at but the set back could be insurmountable. 'What if I ended up in Johto? How easy will it be to get back to Mount Moon from there? Even better, the orange islands! Definitely a good prospect on that one. At least I could suck down some coconut milk on my swimming trips back, or have fun hiding in dusty ducts on some boat.'

Joy just looked at me sadly and Tammy had begun to squeeze my arm to try and calm me down. I was almost hyperventilating though, the room seeming the shrink in around me as I felt despairs cold grip. In a sudden act, born of my desperation, I jerked myself away from the other pokemon and began to dash away. The sudden cries of alarm from Joy behind me sent the other pokemon in the room into an alert state. Darting quickly I made my way for the door before any of them were truly aware of the situation. 'I'll get out of here and find my way back myself if I have to. I can't get stuck like this!'

A sudden pressure on my sides brought my attention to an ivysaur wrapping it's vines around me. I let loose all of my frustration on the one who'd dare keep me from my freedom of choice, the lightning danced all along it's plant appendages back to it. He looked strained but was otherwise undamaged by my attack. Jerking me around, he brought me back towards where I had been and I became aware of a melody playing.

I turned my quaking gaze to chansey whom had begun to sing. I immediately knew what she was trying to do and it brought me all the further into my frustrated rage. "No! Stop! I have to get back! I have to..." My words grew weaker despite how much energy I knew I should have. It felt like the time when She(?) had dragged me under back at her dwelling. A comfortable warmth filled me entirely washing away my cares and inviting me to rest and let go. I struggled and bit my lip to prevent it, but nothing could stop the tide.

"I'm truly sorry pikachu. This is for your own good, please believe me. I'll be sure that you find yourself a wonderful family." Joy had taken up a pokeball and enlarged it. This was it, this was me entering into the subversive position in life that pokemon held in relation to humans. My eyes dilated upon seeing it, they held no difficulty in staying open to watch every move the red and white ball made. I was filled with a sick fascination watching something I had seen so often from the opposite end. She threw it and it panged off my head after it's short agonizing flight, then whipped back to open up. Despite having hit me, it really didn't impact so much as slightly touch before jerking away. I didn't know how they worked but I was sure they only came in close like that to register the energy signature of the pokemon.

As the red beam shot out at me I truly felt that if there was ever a time in my life where I understood the old saying "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," it would be this instance. 'I'm being kindnessed to death...' Everything went red as the light touched me and I was no more.

END Chapter 15 - Fearful Possibilities

Parting Author Note: A big thanks goes out to Foxyjosh. He's been sending me corrections for the last 7 or so chapters now when he finds them. I appreciate it, and so do the new readers I'm sure. He's the C2 group manager of the pokemon transformation archives, and assists the vulpix and ninetales C2 as well.

Yeeeeeeeee hhhhhhaaaaaw! A nice long one for the road. Till next we meet!


	16. TT Judgment

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: BUSY BUSY BUSY! That about sums it up. Then this took forever to hash out since it has such a different flow than what I'd grooved myself into, and I had to cover so much in one go. This was all improvised, unlike the main story line which is following a mostly set path, so I was really edging along carefully trying to think out ahead for him.

I'm not going to call this a new chapter so much as an 'installment' for the story. For those not interested in reading outside the main plot line involving Jek, reading this is unneeded. There will be a few of these sporadically throughout Wishes aren't that Great. He will not be gaining a chapter by chapter telling of his story as Jek does, more like progress reports once in awhile when I feel like getting more practice in.

As it stands, this is my 4th writing exercise; To write from the perspective of a non-human and very serious/focused character. My second story will be from the perspective of an extremely serious individual and my third is going to be in the mind of a non-human(i.e No references to any human related things, this will be tough). I wanted to get a little practice in for the both of them before hand so my next stories will benefit from my experience. As overcautious and careful as Jek is, he's still light hearted and more of an artist really.

Things may seem harsher here and they should really. He's a warrior born feral animal that wasn't brought up with the concept of complete peace. He's heard of the conflicts and predators, the deaths and kills from all the fighters and from his own father. Where as Jek still holds that peaceful mentality(outside of his newly acquired animal instincts) that humans have due to civilization and being the dominant species, only fearing each other and natural disasters for the most part, Trek has no such concepts. For him the idea of killing to survive and matters of honor are second nature, he grew up with these ideas simply being accepted as gospel. The latter being chiefly due to his fathers own strict moral code possibly gained by his time with a human. Obviously most every chu is not like this, I'm trying to stick with how he'd have been raised under a strict battle hardened father and the company of fighters he'd have been surrounded by. He has a strong sense of pride and is a very different person with a completely different perspective.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Trek's Tale - Judgment

Thunder had dragged me back to our home, back to my father. I was worn out from the short fight with the beedrill but I stood with my head held as high as I could keep it. I wouldn't shy away from taking responsibility for my part in this incident, from what I knew I deserved. As my father's anger surfaced I couldn't help thinking of what I had said to Stratus, of how this would happen and how I'd brushed it aside as though it meant nothing to me.

Now, with him facing me down, I didn't find that confidence again. That I felt so terrible and guilty didn't help. I didn't show it, however, such things meant nothing, they wouldn't repair the damage done. He ignored me, instead addressing Swift and Thunder for a time. Others had made it but were not here with us before the elders that looked down upon the brash youth that had endangered our way of life.

"Do you have any idea what you've done? Humans know we're in the area now! The herd is no longer safe because of you!" Jolt, an old and blooded raichu could barely contain his lightning as he stared Swift down. His ears twitched and I felt he'd have come down and belted him across the face if he wasn't held in check by Tart, his life mate. Swift shifted next to me, I could feel his apprehension. He'd never been on good terms with the elders, only becoming a raichu by my fathers words due to his combat abilities.

"Jolt is correct, we must make leave at once. Never before have we had to travel with so large a group however, and from such a well established location. This event will be a grave burden upon everyone." Dusk presented her own voice, a soft wave to the rip tide of rampant emotions. She was an old pikachu midwife that held more sway than any warrior ever could. Even I couldn't look at her as the others, knowing she had cared for me when I was little more than a babe the year prior.

"Leave? Why would we leave this place?! That's nonsense, so what if a couple humans find a few of us in the area, this means nothing. Winter is coming and we have everything we need here." Turbid had stood up and gestured wildly at Dusk, clearly unimpressed by her chosen stance. He was an older pikachu that had gained his position through arduous efforts in strengthening the patrol lines. Father noted his ability to be precisely thorough and brought him into the ring for what he could add to it.

"You are obviously unaware of how drawn to us the humans are, how greatly our kind are sought after. We are both a desirable commodity as well as a source of power for their metal constructions. Knowing we are here, they will come to capture as many as they can." Dusk wouldn't allow a young one to question her.

Jolt looked ready to add his own say to this when father silenced them all by letting his own voice loose, "Dusk is right. The humans will come and gather as many of us as they can get their greedy hands on. It was obviously dark men that have done this. If it had been a single trainer or two that was trying to capture some of us for their own ends, it would be less grave. We have no such luxury however." My father went deep into thought after this, pushing his emotions away from himself as I had seem him do so many times. He wouldn't let them cloud his decisions, instead trying to be as impartial as he could achieve. Talking with them, I saw his regal side that he had taught me and my siblings to hold.

Nobody said anything, letting him come to his conclusion at his own discretion. This was the respect I wanted so badly. Seeing them acknowledge him, younger than they as he was in most cases, as being their leader and how much faith they placed in him. This is the position I longed for, the end result of a journey I would do anything to complete. He'd fought his battles, earned his merit and gained this respect.

After a time he finally opened his eyes again, looking about us at the vegetation that surrounded our hearing stone. A frigid wind blew past, unsettling his fur, "How I wish that we could wait until winter ends to move, but even the losses we will suffer from it will be far less than if we were to stay here. They will come with their machines and take as many of us as they can. Protected and prepared to ward off our natural defenses, it would be a complete end to our existence as we are. They would not kill us, no, but we may as well be dead after we've been taken."

I felt a strong grip on my shoulder and saw my mother taking hold of me to lead us away from the scene. Thunder and Swift stayed behind but I held no place in this other than being one of the instigators. To leave here into the winter was madness in my eyes, such a thought seemed so undeniably foolish I truly felt I must be mad to have heard my father say such a thing at all. 'Those humans, their tools had not been that powerful or great. When they captured Stratus, it had been little more than a net such as a caterpie can produce. Surely they, and even friends, could not stand up to us all.'

This thought brought my mind back to the final moment I had seen him. Lying there feebly, half dead from his efforts to save me, staring at me and Thunder with such a look of complete defeat I felt my heart would destroy itself to escape the pain. 'It's my fault, he tried to warn me, us, of what could happen.' I had been upset that he seemed so cowardly, how could my rival show such weakness. I had hoped it was simply a lack of confidence in his ability to fight, but obviously I had been wrong. He'd seen what I didn't, knew what I failed to consider, and he was the one that had paid my price.

'Stratus only agreed to go because he didn't want to let me down. He'd seen my desire to explore a new terrain and accepted the risk at my behest, and now...' It enraged me so, 'How dare he do that! Better that I was the one captured, the one that deserved it, than him.' This emotion of guilt was too great, I couldn't stand it. It was no different than the day the feraligatr had attacked us. I had to stand by and watch as it loomed over him, after I had been rescued, ready to consume him upon the rock I had demanded he travel to. 'Stratus evolved into a pikachu, showing me he was obviously not the child I still am.'

I half expected to see my father jump into the fray, ready to save him once more. My childish belief in my father died today however. He wouldn't always be there... he couldn't always cover up my mistakes. If I hadn't been so short sighted, so set on only one concept so far removed from reality, Swift and his foolish friends alone would have been attacked . 'Not me and my foolish friend.' I didn't shed any tears despite the anguish I felt, my heart was in a cold place set in a stone of determination.

Mother stopped me at our burrow and I went in silently without being told to do so, knowing I would be here for a time before my parents would have words with me. The harvest festival tonight was no doubt ruined, the pikachu that had managed to flee and return would spread word of the event and there would be panic and unrest. I wouldn't blame myself for this, it was inevitable due to the pikachu's and Swift's actions. I could see Nimbus and Cirrus however, how my caretakers had wanted so badly to show Stratus the festival. Instead, they would be grieving for the person that had spent so much less time with them than anyone would have desired. We had all seen how much he affected them, how happy they were together.

'I won't grieve though... he's not dead to me, he won't be unless I see a lifeless body.' I wouldn't let this sit, I would make my wrong right. I have no wish to grow up to be a raichu that simply ignores and covers up his mistakes, uncaring for what had happened when he could have done something. 'Nothing will stop me, this is what I have to do if I will ever surpass my father.'

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It had been a couple days, father's heated words still rang in my ears. I had done my best to be honest and simply take what he would put upon me. If I had shied away at all it would have been insulting myself. I knew full well what I had done and the consequences that followed were received thusly. Things would have likely gone better if I had been crying and cowering, I think, but I wouldn't be weak like that in front of him. As it stood, I was left to myself the day before simply because I found walking too hard to leave the burrow. I hadn't realized what Lightning had gone through was this painful, a part of me had guessed but it had been wrong.

I traveled through the thorn bush, watching as the various chu's went about preparations, making my way slowly to the exit. Everyone had been shocked that we would be migrating, Penta informed me, though I found this to be of very little surprise. What did catch me off guard was that a number had chosen to stay behind rather than risk the winter, meaning they had dissented from my Father's leadership. They were regarded with no ill will, simply a sadness that they were no longer of us.

I would have liked to train one more day with Thunder, to gain a lesson from him outside of having been sparring with Stratus, but time was not on my side. He was busy with all that he had to do with the preparations and trying his best to redeem himself. He failed to protect one of his charges and for that was marked. More so, I could see the pain and heartbreak in his eyes when I passed by him earlier. So great I couldn't bare to share a glance with him, instead turning away and leaving the pikachu to his pain. 'No doubt his heart lay heavy with Nimbus's grief. I won't let myself get caught up in this, it's his own nest he's laid.'

Coming into the grand entrance to this little shelter I found myself staring at one I never thought I'd see again. Shock was making his way from the hearing stone with Lightning by his side. 'He'd been one of those captured! Did they escape!?' I was all at once beset with both relief and sorrow. I had wanted to set my own mistake right, if they were already free than there would be no way for me to undo what I had done. I immediately destroyed this thought for it's unworthiness however, I would not abide being so selfish as to wish continued anguish on another for my own benefit.

"Trek! I was just heading for you, come here for a moment." I was already moving their way before my brother had called me. Shock stopped to turn to me also, looking worn. "Shock and the others that had been taken returned today." He gestured to the pikachu.

Shock straightened himself up a bit before addressing me, "They captured us and we were kept in small inescapable metal holes. We ran into a bit of luck when one of our captors turned against the other two and set us free." He paused a bit before finishing his thought, "When she got into a fight with the others Stratus stayed behind to help." He shifted uncomfortably next to my brother as I stared at him. 'That sounded like a well rehearsed and used informative statement.'

"So Stratus didn't make it back? You left him behind?" This was the only plausible scenario in my mind. 'They'd fled in terror and left him behind.'

"No!" Shock looked indignant, as worked up as he got I felt this wasn't the first time he'd been accused of this. "He'd told me to go on ahead with the others, that he'd catch up! I waited for him but the dude never came to us, so me and the others pressed on to get here. We had no idea if the traitor human had won or if there was a trap lying in store for us should we return there, you know?"

'So you were afraid and you obviously hold regret over your actions.' I couldn't really hold him at fault, as much as I'd have liked, it's not as though I had been in such a situation to know what I myself might have done. "So where is he now? Do you know what happened to him?" I had to know, any clues would help me.

"No idea Trek..."

"Where'd you last see him? Where did you escape from?" I pressed onwards, almost desperate.

Shock looked confused at my questioning, not following my train of thought. Lightning stepped forward a bit though, looking down at me with exasperation. "Does any of that really matter? I just wanted you to hear what had happened, I felt you'd like to know what had happened with them is all."

I shook my head at my older brother, "It's not enough. I need to know where, I'm going to find him." I felt I had let slip too much, but I didn't care if he knew my intentions or not, I wouldn't be detoured and this information could help me. I was planning to search the ravine for clues but if I could skip that set of tracks entirely it would speed things up greatly.

Bewildered, Lightning looked at me for a time not saying anything before frowning deeply, "What are you on about now? Have you gone crazy?" Shock was nodding his head, obviously sharing the riachu's criticism. "You're just a pichu and it's farther away than anything you could've imagined until now. It'd be a death sentence not to mention impossible. Look around you," He gesture the entirety of the thorn bush that surrounded us and I spared it a moments glance for his sake, "On one of these vines is a single purple thorn, I want you to find it." I stared at him incredulously, looking about the green and browning thorn covered plants I felt the impossibility of the task.

"Trying to find Stratus would be an even greater folly. The world is large and dying is easy, it'd be many more times difficult than that task. I know you feel bad at losing your friend but..." He looked sympathetic now, his agitation leaving him, "This is life little brother. These things happen, all we can do is mourn the lost and move on with our lives. I'm sorry."

I stared at my brother for a time, part of me wanted so badly to agree and move on, I wanted to leave this kind of hardship behind me even before I had begun it. I wouldn't do that though, 'What would my father say to me if he knew this?' So I once more shook my head at Lightning and clenched my paws, "I would do it..." they seemed lost for a moment before I continued, "I would until my paws were bloodied and I couldn't search in the dark anymore, I would keep looking if it would ensure that Stratus was returned." I would show them my determination, this had to be the stance I would take. If I faltered now I would only repeat this through the rest of my life.

"What's this foolishness between brothers that I hear?" 'That voice...' My dad was walking over to us and I could see him rubbing the scar that lay beneath his left shoulder. It was an anxious habit of his, remembering the moment the persian leader had almost ended his life years prior.

Lightning instantly lost his brotherly concern, whitewashed into a neutral look. He was far more relaxed around our mother than he could ever be our father. "It seems Trek has gotten quite the idea in him, you should ask him to share it." He turned and left without any other words. Him and father didn't get along very well, often short with each other.

"Ah, I guess it's my time to leave then... Take it easy, alright guy?" Shock offered me a parting wave as he left tailing Lightning's departing form. I paid them little heed, instead eyes locked ahead at my greatest possible obstacle.

A wind swept by us, drenched in the silence that permeated the area between the two of us. I felt we'd see the end of fall before either of us broke the suspense. Alas, this was not to be so, "An idea huh?" He deadpanned to me, obviously unhappy at having to invite me to share the information at all.

I could lie, make something up rather than telling him the truth which would likely lead to him stopping me, but I had no desire to hide from what I felt so strongly about. "I'm going to bring Stratus back."

He looked appropriately taken aback by my announcement. It took him very little time to formulate his words for me regardless of his surprise however, "What's this nonsense? I know for a fact that Shock had just arrived and was leaving the meeting stone not a moment prior." He gestured vaguely to the tunnel that led out into the tree meadow. I simply nodded which made him clench his paws, "So what were you planning, or did you just think this up randomly out of the air? Would you head to that ravine and search from there? I know you wouldn't be able to find the meadow they came from after all. Then follow days old tracks in an attempt to find someone captured by humans and taken to a realm so far beyond anything you can comprehend?" He paused before silently adding more to himself, "Did I really raise such a fool?"

I fought hard to contain myself, throwing a tantrum solved nothing but make me the child he sees me as, "What other choice would I have had? It was the only course I could follow." He looked ready to cut back in but I continued on, refusing to lose my momentum, "It's my fault he's captured Father, I was the reason he had gone with us at all. I can't leave him like that. Didn't you once tell me that duty was to ones brothers as it is their comrades?" I tried my best to talk as properly as I could, it would only be self defeating to not speak as such.

He looked mildly exasperated that I'd return his words to him like this, "You get into a few scraps and suddenly your comrades? You have a long time ahead of you before you'll know what that really is. You've only known him for the last two weeks Trek, what could make you so set on this type of rash action?" He looked closely at me, judging my worth possibly, "Or is this about you more than him?"

I wanted to harshly reply with a negative response but found myself hesitating, even questioning the validity of his statement. Before I could ponder it much further however he'd stepped over to me. I flinched back momentarily, surprised at the sudden proximity. I thought he might hold me and take me back to our den but instead he simply put his paw on my head. I didn't make any moves to remove it, as much as I'd like him to see me as a man I was still his son. "Go to where you gathered with the others those days prior, I'll be there shortly for a little trip we'll take to a certain meadow."

I couldn't help my mouth from gaping open, as much as I had been trying to remain stoic and guarded with my emotions. I could only stare at him as he was smiling down at me. Nodding my head, I turned to the exit, not having much I could say. 'A simple thank you would feel a hollow gesture.' I couldn't follow my fathers motives at times, he seems to think so differently than anything I could understand. By all reasoning and considering the day prior I felt he would be angry with me once more.

As I stepped into the darkened passage I thought of my one sibling I cared for much at all. If I was going to depart for a time I would feel bad to leave Terra standing by the wayside. Lightning and I had already shared our words, and Teal and Penta were in no way interested in talking to me as I was they. Perhaps they disliked how much our parents took it easy on us compared to how they'd been raised.

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"Eh? You and dad are going where?" She had been mopey and less than her energetic self as of late. The other day as she'd come home she barely spared me a glance, though it could have just as well been due to my part in her loss. 'Losing a friend will do that I suppose.' It seemed I was the only one who hadn't simply given up on him. 'Or my father was right, and this is more about myself than him.' I'd told her I was departing with father after exchanging some mild conversation, I didn't feel I could tarry here for much longer before I needed to get to my expected location, so I decided to cut to the chase.

"We're heading to the meadow where the others managed to flee from the humans. I want to find Stratus." Part of me didn't want to get her hopes up, in relation to my success in this endeavor, but I refused to doubt my ability. Looking about the field I gave the deadened trees and the trampled leaves their due note.

"You are? But, with those humans... you could both be captured!" Her concern was touching really, I felt I'd seen her look at me with it more often than usual as of late. 'Between the lake, my encounter with the humans and now, three times in a couple weeks was definitely pushing the mark.' I felt bad for telling her now, I had no desire to make my little sister worry like this. "Stupid! Stratus saves you and you want to go off and get captured anyways!?"

I shook my head and tried to ease her concerns, "I won't get captured, I promise. We both know a couple humans couldn't get their hands on dad either, we'll be fine. Besides, I have to do this Terra." Changing subjects, I addressed a matter of concern, "You shouldn't be so down Terra. I know you miss him and are sad but you're still the daughter of the herd leaders. You need to keep up a strong front for others to rely on. How many of our group are really scared right now and with you being so depressed it's not helping. Not to mention that Cirrus and Nimbus aren't watching them since the pikachu got taken." I had noted it when I arrived, likely mother felt it best for them to be doing other work needing to be done rather than watching the pichu like normal for awhile. I was glad for this, I really didn't feel the courage to stand before them knowing I was to blame.

Terra made a sour face at me, as she always did when I brought this sort of thing up, "You guys are always saying things like that. I don't care about all this politics stuff. I just want to live naturally not burdened by any of that business. I've told you before to not drag me into it." She stuck her tongue out at me and I had to hold my grimace. 'She really is the baby of the family.'

I wanted to argue with her, that she'd been born into it and there was no choice, but I didn't want to fight with her before I left. I still held onto the possibility that I wouldn't be back for some time. Instead I just sighed, "At least try and be a little more cheerful. Even if only for the rest of them. I'm sure they'd feel a lot better if you did" I gestured to the pichu that we'd spent the better part of a year with. I liked most of them well enough, but because of my position and stance I never really got very close to a number of them as I'd seen others do. I knew most pikachu still held close ties with their group members, such as Swift and Shock. I hadn't until my rival had come anyway. He seemed more my equal than any other here, someone I could compare and better myself against.

She just shook her head and said she'd try. I really didn't have anything to say after this so I exchanged a farewell and hugged her goodbye, before making my way to where this whole problem had started a few mornings prior. I noted how the scorched field was empty as I passed through it. 'I guess there's no time to practice when the time comes for you to use those skills.' My father was already at the tree, arms crossed, when I arrived and I felt ashamed at having made him wait. 'With how busy he is and what it must have cost for him to shake free of his duties to take me elsewhere, I don't like having kept him waiting on me after he'd gone through so much trouble.'

He flicked his ear and relaxed himself onto his paws, "I was beginning to wonder if you'd changed your mind."

"I'm sorry for holding you up like that, I was saying goodbye to Terra for now. It would hurt her if I left without a word." I knew he would be satisfied with this.

He just nodded to me, "I can understand that. Did you catch Teal and Penta also? They were in..." He slowly faded out of his sentence as he saw my wearied look. Grunting a bit, he accepted our sibling dynamics and left it be for now. It upset him that we were so distant with each other for the most part, but I couldn't help how I felt. "Before we go, I want you to stop this whole depression business you've been wallowing in."

I just looked at him blankly, 'Depression? What?'

Seeing my confusion he elaborated further, "You've been carrying a peripheral weight on your shoulders the last couple days, even more so now, and I'm getting tired of it. I'm sure you just keep on blaming yourself, 'Oh it's all my fault', for what happened." He made an irritable voice for his little mocking quote. I knew I didn't sound like that but it irked me to be compared so flippantly to it. I hadn't realized how abrasive he could be.

Instantly upset I barked out a reply, "Weren't you the one that had yelled as much at me the other night? Did I misinterpret you?" He'd blamed me for what happened and said I should have known better. All of which I agreed were true and it just made him madder. 'I think he'd caught a glimpse of my attitude from the day before when I said I would face his justice that I knew would come for my choice. He saw I had knowingly, purposely, disobeyed him.'

"Obviously you're misunderstanding me, so I'll spell it out for you. You're to blame for the choices you make, for the consequences of the actions you take. You're blaming yourself for Stratus when it had nothing to do for you. You can't bear guilt when you had no say in the matter. He chose to go with you all by himself, he hurt himself helping you by his own design, you in no way were able to make any of these decisions for him. I'm grateful he helped you which is why I'm more than willing to go to this meadow he was last seen in, putting important matters off for a time."

"But it is my fault though! He didn't want to go, he even spoke out against it as we were all set upon going. I was the one that had roped him into it, he didn't want to let me down after I showed my displeasure. It is my fault he was there, I'm the one that convinced him. I should have been the one in that n-" I was cut off as my father smacked me upside my head, it didn't hurt but it was startling all the same. I rubbed the spot he'd struck me and looked at him through eyes I hadn't noticed were watery.

"Don't ever wish another's misfortune upon yourself, it'll do you no good, instead it'll only make you self abusive. I hate to break it to you son, but you had no say in what he chose to do. You may have been there but he's the one that decided to not upset you despite what would have been the wisest course of action." He emphasized this for me, so as to impress the importance, once more, of our conversation's subject from the night before. "You can't take the blame for what those around you choose to do, they themselves are the only ones that come to their decisions. Also, you have enough to worry about with your own choices and their consequences without taking on other peoples. That's what leaders do, and you're not in that kind of position... yet." That he had said 'yet' filled me with a sense of pride. He had acknowledged me, even if only slightly.

'That all rings true having it put like that...' Thinking on it, I had been wallowing in my guilt the last couple days. It was funny how it could swallow you up and you wouldn't even know until someone could point it out to you like this. 'Stratus chose to go... he could have hung around the tree and watched clouds till we got back or something along these lines. It was his decision to come with us rather than coming to another solution. I jumped in to help him with that beedrill, he simply returned the favor.' I felt good thinking along these lines, as though a terrible burden had been lifted. Even though I no longer felt at fault, I still wanted to recover my lost friend. 'I may not be to blame, but I won't leave him behind like this. Everyone else may be willing to simply give him up but I won't. If this ever happened to me, would anyone come to my aid?' I knew my father would if no one else, but Stratus was an orphan. I could see Cirrus mounting a rescue but knew she'd be kept back by Nimbus who would be afraid of losing her sibling as well.

Father seemed to notice a change in me and turned to go. Looking back he beckoned me to come with him and we began our trip. He was immediately unimpressed by my ability to sneak about the underbrush. While he had no need for it anymore, he was aghast that any of his children could be so inept at such an important survival skill. I was upset that our travel would be slowed so drastically by his constant pestering me with how I was supposed to do this or that and of how I wasn't looking ahead properly. I'm not used to being bad at anything, so to have my father bearing witness over my greatest flaw to date was awful.

--------------------------

It was nice, traveling with my dad like this. He'd taken me on some outings around the colony to show me the different vegetation and the like, but never such a long trip as this. Though we were on constant guard for attack, it was still pleasant. I was almost sad when the following afternoon we arrived at what I could only assume was our destination. This forest was so large it seemed impossible to me that anyone could remember all of it, and thus how he was able to locate this field remained out of my grasp. Hiding in the bushes we gazed out into the open grassland.

"See those mud trenches dug in the ground next to each other?" He was pointing to a spot a little ways down from us. It looked like two rocks had been dragged out of the forest and into the meadow, though they were no where in sight and all that remained was the mud gouges in the earth their passage had left. "Those are some of the tracks humans leave with their machines when moving around."

I prepared to go and get a closer look but his hand stopped me shy of my first step. He told me to wait as he left the confines of our shrub and began to make his way out into the grassland, sniffing and gazing every which way. After a time when nothing seemed to change he gestured that I should follow. Perhaps it was his presence, but I held confidence as I moved through the open ended terrain. Making our way to the track, we found evidence of a fight as Shock had mentioned. Several large prints and markings I didn't recognize were here, though my father supplied an answer for me when he saw my confusion. "A nidoking's footprints, they're like Riachu to nidoran."

I was at once disappointed that there was nothing in sight that could point to where Stratus had gone or been taken. I began to make my way down the human machine tracks when my father stopped me. Having called to me and then closed the gap between us he stood before me now crossing his arms, "Where do you think you're going?"

I felt it was a silly question and that it was obvious, "I'm following these tracks to find Stratus of course." I tried my hardest to not roll my eyes at him for asking me something like this, I wouldn't be so disrespectful however.

"That's not really an option." He was shaking his head at me. I froze for a moment not following what he was saying, "We came here to see if we could find him to bring back, or where he might be at. It's unfortunate but he's not around here nor can we determine which way if any he's gone. We need to head back to the herd and prepare for our departure." He was looking me square in the eye offering me no choice in the matter.

"I said I was going to find him and I meant it. I won't turn back until I do." I wouldn't falter, not like this. My joints were trembling as I proverbially stood my ground against him.

He frowned at me, "You're still a pichu son, you don't have a say in the matter. When you're a pikachu you can man your own destiny, until then you're still my charge and you'll listen to your father. Understand?"

"I'm almost a pikachu father! I'm on the threshold and this.. this can't wait for that! If I evolve in a week and Stratus is already long since gone, these tracks covered up or worn away, what could I do? Time is of the essence right now." I was on my hind legs gesturing wildly at him. I can't believe he didn't see the importance of this matter and it's time constraints.

He bore his teeth for a moment at my impudence and clenched his paws, "There you go again! What good will you be able to do, if any, if you die! You're not grown yet boy, you can still be picked off by predators with little difficulty. Our kinds lightning is our strongest ability and you can't control or use it yet. Were you just going to run out into the world ready to be eaten following some fools errand!?"

"It's not foolish to want to help a friend! Or have you forgotten about yours already? If they were taken would you just leave them to die or suffer their fate?!" I was looking up at his imposing form, trying my best to keep my strong front. It was intimidating to stand up to him like this.

Easily over twice my height he looked down at me. I could see some of his anger leave him but he still held strong, "No I wouldn't, but neither would they ask me to endanger myself to come to their aid. It would be pointless if I were to end up hurt or dead along with them." I knew what he said made sense but I wouldn't give up, not like this. I stood there staring at him, unwilling to let go of my stance. I'd chosen my path, this would be it. He saw it to, without any words needing to be said, "So this is it, isn't it? This is what you feel like you need to prove yourself. If not in your own mind than to those around you as well."

I felt the doubt creep in when he said this. 'Is that true...' I knew it was, somewhat. This task would be a great under taking and if I was to succeed then I'd have proven my ability to myself and my family. 'Do I really care about Stratus or is he just a tool for my own ends?' I wasn't sure how I could answer that.

My father nodded his head, coming to a decision in his own mind. "Very well then. I won't deny a man his right to follow his destiny, but I won't allow a child to kill himself. This is it, if you evolve into a pikachu you are free to do as you choose. If you remain a pichu, then you are still a child and not ready to forge your own way yet."

"Wh-what? Evolve into a pikachu?" Stuttering, I'd been caught off guard. I wasn't sure that I could nor how I would transform into a pikachu, and was filled with doubt that I'd be able to at all just yet.

Looking into his eyes, the overcast sky behind him silhouetting his form, he looked every bit of the storm king he'd been named. "I'll push you to your limits here and now. If you evolve, you may choose whatever path you desire, if you fail, I'll carry you home to continue growing." He shifted himself into a fighting stance and I back peddled from him in shock, "Prepare yourself Trek, everything rides on this moment in your life," and then he was coming for me in a blur of movement.

END Trek's Tale - Judgment

Parting Author Note: Hope y'all that read it enjoyed this as much as the normal story(which will continue with the next update). It took me longer than a chapter for Jek since it was a different/new flow in telling and personality. I'm not really satisfied with how this turned out but that's why I'm trying to practice it now. Work the faults out while I can before future endeavors. This chapter was hard to do. So unbelievably hard to do, I'm looking forward to the next segment with mixed emotions. I will prevail however!

Jek's next chapter should be up shortly.

Ciao!


	17. Disturbing Disorientation

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Here I be comin' at ya with anothe' installment. The last one was so tough I was hesitant to begin typing this one up, putting it off for a day. But I started to put it down in WordPad and was like "Hurray! It's like returning to a soft recliner from the spiky metal chair I'd been sitting in before!" So I got it done in a night like normal. Expect the next chapter shortly, I'm back on track yo!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 16 - Disturbing Disorientation

I felt nothing after I saw the last bit of red and the world faded from view. It was as though I closed my eyes and then lost touch with my body all together. I had a sense of form but nothing to back it up in anyway. "This is strange." I was taken aback as what I had thought was instead spoken. I could hear it as loud as any other sound to my ears.

"Wait, I don't have ears right now" This thought echoed with the last slowly fading from hearing range. "Do I have ears?" A quick attempt to feel around myself proved useless as I couldn't feel or move any set of arms that I was aware of. Even the basic ability to open my eyes was lost to me. I felt as though my muscles were still there, waiting to receive my commands, but there was no action regardless of how hard I tried.

I really had no idea what these devices did or how they worked, never in my days had I bothered to care about something so far removed from my own interests. I was interested in pokemon in their natural state, not about things that were the epitome(this is said as ee-PIT-o-mee) of pokemon taming and domestication. The few times my classmates talked about pokeballs I'd blanked them out. I found it an interesting concept that a ball can change a pokemon into energy or data and store them in a small space or the like, but really wasn't inclined to delving deeper into the subject.

I immediately noticed that I had lost all touch with my ever constant and present electrical abilities. Once I noticed this, before I could follow up the train of thought in any way, I was wracked with terror and discomfort. "Wh-wha-at th-th-th-e h-e-ec-ck." I felt I'd be trembling to match my stuttering if I had a body to tremble in. How I was stuttering in my thoughts like I would if I was speaking was a mystery to me.

It had to be my instincts. Since pikachu rely on their electrical attacks as their main defense against predators, my pikachu self must be losing it's grip. I could feel them raging inside of me, almost to the point that I felt I actually saw them as blurs of color swirling angrily into each other.

"Wa-ai-t a-a-a sec-on-nd, I do-o se-ee col-or-rs..." They were in front of me, or at least just there in plain sight that I could tell. A mixture of all the colors I had ever seen, more blues and yellows than the rest, converging on each other in some kind of a creepy kaleidoscope pattern. Instead of wondering what they were I knew all about them. They were what I felt my different personality factors were while fighting each other at this second, my own visual representation of my current inner conflict.

All the while that overriding terror of being completely defenseless without my powers still haunted me. At any second a predator could come out from behind that rock and get me. "A-a r-roc-ck? Wha-at th-he-!?" I was suddenly in a cavern of some form, multiple tunnels leading to my position and all around me were several large boulders forming a wall that anything could be lurking out of my sight. I had no idea what was behind them or what lived in the dark recesses of the tunnels that lay beyond. "Si-inc-ce wh-he-en w-as-s I-I in-n a ca-ave!?" My spoken thought echoed around me, slowly drifting down the different passageways. There was no light here, though I could see perfectly despite this.

"A-am I-I se-ee-in-ng w-ha-t I t-th-in-nk?" It seemed entirely possible that in a bodiless state that whatever I thought up or dreamed in my mind would be real like this, like if I was dreaming but still conscious. If that was the case all I had to do was think of a better location than something so scary and dreary as this. I was back at home suddenly, our ugly red shag couch stared at me as I looked around the place I hadn't seen in so long. I immediately knew it wasn't really my home since multiple things seemed blurry and off, such as pictures whose images were faded or blanked out. If I focused on them they seemed to fill in with an image I felt I somehow guessed was what they'd be but knew they were incorrect.

The air was filled with the scent of the farmlands I had grown up loving, a combination of wild grass, hay, and a mix of all the various flowers. I noticed that the smell seemed dull compared to what I had become accustomed to over the last month with my new nose. Thinking of my new form I immediately looked down upon myself to see that I did in fact seem to be with a body now. It was still shaking slightly, the vulnerability to not having my natural defense still affecting me, though it wasn't as bad in this comfortable setting. I began to make my way across the room to head for my bed room when a brown-orange furred pokemon jumped on top of the couch to stare down at me.

It was our pet growlithe baring his teeth at me, and just as suddenly as he'd appeared he was jumping at me with his mouth held wide open! "OH MY GOD!" I screamed and backpedaled into a tree. "What? A tree!?" I was becoming disorientated by the continuous change in my perception and surroundings, the complete lack of stability beginning to take it's toll by frazzling my already worn nerves. I was staring up at the massive apple tree that had been an everyday sight for me the few weeks after my change. "I mu-st-t h-av-ve w-an-nt-ed to-o be wit-th oth-her ch-hu's." I looked around the meadow wishing this horrible sense would leave me but found no one else.

Likely I was in too much of a state of panic to really focus my thoughts on my friends. Thinking of my problem I was reminded that I had somehow gained a form now. "Why can't I simply imagine myself having my electricity as I normally do?" This thought seemed to fill me with a brief confidence causing the fear to shy away. I imagined the power that I had grown so accustomed to in the short time I'd had it. Sparks and then lightning flew about the area, making me feel satisfied briefly with the accomplishment.

It didn't feel the same though, the mental processes and the direction I used to create the attack was completely different. Immediately I was struck by the terror again, having been less than satisfied with what I had tried to pacify it with. Obviously this faked ability was not what it wanted, it desired the real thing and knew how to tell the difference.

The fear was annoying me to say the least. It was so illogical and sporadic that I was left feeling as I had when I'd first woken up in the hospital. I needed to conquer this problem soon or it would control me forever. There wasn't even any predators here that could get me, this was deep inside of the pikachu colony. Nurse Joys words, from moments before, echoed in my mind, "After an assault by aggressors they migrate to a new location to avoid losing more of their own."

Just as the thought of this place having been vacated by the pikachu drifted to me, I immediately glanced upwards at hearing a flurry of wings to see dozens of spearow beginning their decent upon my position. I felt like I was in some kind of nightmare where my own overactive mind was my worst enemy. I couldn't stop thinking of all the worst case scenarios while fearing for my life like this and I was just making them a reality.

I thought up an open meadow with nothing but grass a flowers, completely open with no place for anything to hide in for miles on end. Nothing in the horizon except the sun and a mountain peak. "There! Nothing can come here to get me!" I was more than a little frustrated. It was like having a song stuck in your head and no matter how hard you tried you're mind would keep wandering back to it. Such as when you're trying your best to not think of something at all only to have the thought "What am I trying to avoid thinking of?" pass you by and then you think of it all over again.

Before I could even get comfortable my mind had already thought of a scenario where something could get to me here and when it began to play out I preemptively cut it off by forcing my mind to focus on the completely black nothing that I had been in before. "Th-is-s is-s ins-an-ne!" I couldn't take much more of this mental abuse, I had to think of something to cope with this. I thought again of the image of my mind and instincts battling in my mentality via the swirl of colors and it reappeared before me.

I was angry to the point that anything that would solve this problem would satisfy me greatly. As reckless as I felt it would be, I began to detach what I felt were the instincts I'd gained with my new body away from what was my intact mind from before. "I'm not going to live in fear like some kind of animal! You're just getting in my way!" All the switching around and death prone visions had pushed me past my threshold for patience and keeping a level head. I let my anger course through me, as I had only done a couple times in my life, and over-ride the fear that had been plaguing me.

I wasn't alone anymore, I saw another pikachu nearby staring me down with a look of apprehension and annoyance. "Is he the instinct I was separating from myself right now?" I had been feeling the dull edge of those natural feelings and reactions ebbing away and had felt more empty by this point. It made sense that they'd have to go somewhere outside of myself due to this kind of separation. The other pikachu looked from me to the by now vague and primal image I had somehow deemed was a representation of my mentality at some point before mangling it with my own will.

He gave me a sidelong glance while still facing the mess of colors, "You're trying to separate your instincts from what you deem is your human mind, thinking of them as being two different entities. What you're failing to see is that they are in fact meshed into one being. All you're doing is attempting to split your mentality in half, creating two differing persona's that will share the same space. You're giving yourself a multiple personality disorder right now. It would be prudent to cease this course of action." He said this in such a matter of fact way that I couldn't help but gape as I let go of my anger and stared at all that I had done to what I guessed was my mind. I frantically began to undo the damage I'd done to myself hoping I wasn't too late.

"How did you know that?" If I had no clue as to what was going on and am supposed to be the only one in this pokeball, where on earth did this pikachu come from is what I wondered to myself, which in turn became speech as every other thought had thus far.

He simply ignored my mental interlude and shook his head, "I don't know that per-say, it's simply a theory really."

I just stared at him, bewildered, "What's he on about?" Once again my thoughts fled me and I was left feeling embarrassed. It was like hearing how loud and constant my thoughts must feel to a psychic.

He just put his paw to his head and rubbed his ear for a moment. "It was just something I thought up based upon the observations and input I had received. I'm a projection of your logic as it were. You're not talking to someone else right now, you're still alone in here." He went rigid for a moment as we both heard this before beginning to fade out of sight, "We both know that talking to yourself via projecting an element of your personality isn't the first step to take when trying to avoid having multiple personalities. So farewell to you... though we're the same person and we've never met, nor will say goodbye, I just felt it'd be rude to simply le-" He was gone with nary a pop or anything, just vanished after fading into the emptiness that surrounded me still.

"This is so crazy. Would I have been better off if I was just a normal pokemon and not been a human before?" I knew pikachu in general disliked being in a pokeball, as did some other pokemon. I wondered if it was their personality or ingrained mental reactions, instincts, that affected their stay inside of a pokeball, or a combination of the two. "I'll bet an easy going pokemon wouldn't have a problem with this kind of state, nor any normal type that didn't have to rely on special powers for survival. They would still feel that connection with their body so it wouldn't be as though they'd lost anything. Pikachu are a high strung, when solo in the wild, social animal, so I can see how being alone without feeling their major natural defense would be very unpleasant. Well, not so much see how it is, as feel at this point." I couldn't help but think that I was making this situation worse because of my own overactive imagination and mental processes either, "My mind has become my worst enemy." Though it did help me a second ago also, before promptly leaving me anyway. "Or should I say I helped myself?" The whole thing had me questioning all my preconceptions of how a persons mind is established within themselves.

I was glad I had managed to repair what damage I may have inadvertently done to myself finally. The colors were once again meshed and attacking each other, and of course the dulled out senses once more returned to me in full. I continued to struggle against my surroundings and own mental conflicts, taking the discomfort rather than trying to push my instincts away this time. "I have no desire to become a mental patient." It was easier this time than it had been, now that I felt I knew a bit more about my situation. Even if it was all unproven theory and half was delivered via me projecting a part of my persona. I just tried my best to remain in the free floating nothingness, it offered neutrality at least. The scene would change and I would force my way back to it before anything could go wrong.

Just as suddenly as I had been thrown into this state it began to dissolve around me as I once more saw red fill my peripheral sight.

-----------------------

The world began to encompass my vision, a scrunched image slowly being pulled to expand and fit into my view. I was in a small medical room with a few piece of equipment at a wall to my left and a few tools hanging near the doorway. It couldn't be any larger than the room they'd kept me in before, though this had no signs of long term stay, meaning a spot to sleep at. A pink haired woman stood before me. 'Nurse Joy had decided to let me out early or something? How long has it been...' A slew of questions filled me upon entering this scene.

I noticed, after having sniffed the air, how different this place smelled. Even Joy herself was slightly off compared to moments, or however long it had been, prior to when I'd last smelled her. Obviously I had been transfered to a new location entirely already. It made sense considering how Bill had invented the system where pokemon in data, or energy, form could be transfered instantly.

Joy, pokeball still in hand, addressed me, "Hello pikachu. My sister told me you had a bit of an episode when she told you her medical decision for you're well being." She was giving me a really sympathetic look and it made me feel bad that I had worried anyone like this.

'Wait, why do I feel bad? They're the ones that trapped me liked this, I was just trying to get free!' Still though, my human civility was upset at having lost it and made a scene. Like a child throwing a tantrum in the store over something he wanted. I pushed it aside ruthlessly though, reminding myself the basic reasons and principals my actions had been based on. 'I have a right to freedom, whether they know it or not.'

"I understand you must be really confused and hurting right now, I really do feel your loss." She'd placed a hand over her heart at this and her eyes looked close to tears. 'Wow, I feel like crap now.' I hated whatever empathetic ability these nurses had to make you feel like you'd done something awful when you were just trying to look out for yourself. "Please understand where we're coming from however, we just don't want you to get hurt after what you'd gone through. We're trying to make up for what we did, the upset to your natural order our kind committed to you. I know you must have disliked it inside of this pokeball so I wanted to let you out as soon as I could. Can I trust you to not run amuck if I keep you outside of it?"

All at once I was vigorously nodding my head. It was like being disciplined with a belt and being asked if you'll behave or would like to get the belt again, the choice and answer fairly obvious. I had no desire to ever go inside one of those spherical objects again for the rest of my life. 'I don't care what line I have to walk if it'll keep me out of that piece of junk.' I'll just have to bide my time for a little while, I obviously dropped the ball at the previous clinic by trying to flee while in a room full of trained pokemon. If I hadn't panicked I could have waited until the coast was clear to make my way out and about. 'It's not as though these facilities are prisons or anything, they wouldn't have been able to stop me if I'd waited for a window of opportunity.' I was literally imagining a window with this train of thought.

Joy smiled at once and shrank the pokeball that had been my domain moments prior. I watched carefully as she placed it into one of the pockets of her ever present work apron. She approached me and put out her hand as the other nurse had done to me before making contact as well. I just sighed and closed my eyes, letting her pat my head for a moment. She didn't really go full into it as the other nurse had, but I'm sure she knew I wasn't in a very joyous or affectionate mood at the moment.

It hardly bothered me at all when she picked me up and made her way to the door. Her arm across my center and my feet dangling with my tail, it was definitely disconcerting to be the one held like this rather than doing the holding. Upon opening the door we were greeted by a chansey. 'I guess it really is true then, most of the pokemon centers are run by one of the Joys and their chansey.' It seemed such an unusual thought that two people could have so many daughters and that they'd all go into this profession with the same pokemon. More so that they'd be so spread out rather than working together like this.

'What are the odds that two parents could have several.. err... batches of sextuplets or quadruplets that all shared remarkably similar DNA as it would take for the different groups of the children to come out so similar as to be identical.' I doubted the mother was able to bear the twenty or however many Joys there were all at once, so having several groups of them seemed the only possibility. I briefly held an amusing thought of genetic experiments at cloning and such before dismissing it. 'I doubt any parent would want to multiply their daughter like that... and actually do it anyway.' I'd seen some crazy parents in my time, and I wouldn't pretend to understand the inner workings of how they thought in relation to their children.

Chansey smiled up at me and fell in tow with Joy as she walked down the sterile white hallway. I was once again racked with that urge to go home and vigorously clean my bedroom lest someone see how dirty it is. Like thinking a farfetch is beautiful and then a butterfree flies by making you feel foolish. "I'm glad to see you're calm Stratus. After what Tammy had told me, I was afraid you'd still be upset and flighty."

I just nodded my head to her, not showing any change of expression. I didn't want to be brusque with anyone but I just didn't feel anything outside of my current apathetic vibe since I was completely spent. I'd had no downtime since my emotional roller coaster at the last facility and then was placed inside that ball which had drained me further than any other undertaking I'd ever followed. Even when I stayed up for two days in a bush waiting for some zubats to go foraging for fruit did I feel as weary as I did now. I wasn't physically tired, my mind had simply said "I'm done, I don't care anymore" and left it at that.

She looked concerned upon seeing my lackluster attitude and tried to be cheerful with me, "My name is Violet by the way! I already heard your name from my sister, she says she's sorry for having to sing to you like she did. She sings really well though, so I'm sure it wasn't all that bad." She laughed a bit at her own attempt at a joke. I was mildly amused as well, knowing that her singing had indeed been rather lovely. 'I'd have enjoyed it if it hadn't been impeding my task no doubt.'

"There's a smile on you. You should smile more, you'll look a lot cuter." She was pretty happy at having accomplished her goal so quickly. I just gave a nervous chuckle, my ears flopping sideways. "You'll like it here I promise! Everyone is very nice and the habitat is beautifully furnished." I was at attention from my loose pose at this new information.

"I'll be placed into an area with others until I'm adopted?" It really didn't matter other than that it'd likely be a closed in place with little chance for escape. It just meant more biding, and every day that passed would be ten, so I was not looking forward to this prospect.

"You sure will. You'll have a lot of fun with them, especially the twins. They're so adorable." She gave a girlish giggle and as we turned a corner began to talk a little more serious tone rather than just sharing idle conversation with me. "There's a period where they prepare you and make sure you'll be able to live with a human family. You seem friendly enough though so I doubt you'll have any difficulties. It's mainly because humans live so differently than pokemon. If a life at a home doesn't seem like a possibility, you could be put at a ranch also. So it's also up to you to decide how you want to live, we won't force you into going with a family or anything like that." She beamed up at me, obviously trying her best to show me what could be a silver lining to this cloud.

I knew she was trying to give me a sense of choice, and thus freedom, so as to allow me to feel I was somewhat in control of the situation. I just gave a weary smile back to her, not having the heart to rain on her parade. She was obviously trying her best to quell my anguish here. I'm sure if I was an actual pokemon I could be happy with a family that they'd find for me, but I had pressing concerns and a dire situation to deal with here. I looked ahead of us as we came to a thick see through door way made of some kind of plastic from what I could tell. Beyond it lay a fairly roomy area with grass and a couple mock trees. I could see several various pokemon running about it, all of which seemed to be of the prey or neutral persuasion.

Joy set me on the floor and looked at my briefly before turning away to with the console next to the doorway. A tap on my shoulder drew my attention to Violet as she gave me a quick hug and smiled a last time to me. "Cheer up alright? You'll be safe and happy, really. Here, this should help you as well! A present for you from me." She withdrew an egg from, somewhere, and handed it to me. 'Where did this come from?' I knew pokemon could carry stuff but it's not like she has pockets or anything, the ever constant egg pouch on her stomach aside.

I stared at the egg for a second and then back to her. "Eh? I'm too young to be a father, I can't accept something like this." She had to be a bit loony to think I'd want an egg of any form right now. Being a father one day might be nice but certainty not as is nor while I'm feeling so down. 'How is this supposed to make me feel better?'

"Okay Pikachu, have fun with the others in here alright?" I glanced at Joy as she looked down to me before pulling a card out to slide it through the machine.

"You're so silly." She giggled into her hand, "It's a lucky egg sure to bring you happiness! I only give them to special people so please take care of it." The doors slid open next to me and I was ushered inside briefly before they closed again. I stood on the patio, solid white with purple spots egg in my paws, staring out into the expanse of a small gymnasium sized room with various wildlife of both flora and fauna. I was like a child that wandered into a movie halfway, lost and confused, staring at the scene in front of me.

END Chapter 16 - Disturbing Disorientation

Parting Author Note: Boy it sure was nice writing about good ol' Jek once again. I missed ya buddy... Not that I dislike Trek, I really like his character and all, I just enjoy writing about Jek. It's a lot harder to be abusive to Trek for kicks after all... wait, I mean.. err.... till next time folks!

He'll rebound if his will has any say in the matter! Can't keep a good mouse down, unless you have mouse traps. In which case they call in Jerry, and then you'll be sorry you ever tried. Or Tom will anyway... or maybe both of you will. There we go, that works.

Round up some o' those stray Pokemon, Yeee haaaw! Good luck out there trainers!


	18. Weary Times

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: Not much to say really... except for supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Also, when the 'twins' are talking, the words may seem butchered misspelled, but I assure, it's on purpose.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 17 - Weary Times

I was wary to take the first step into this threshold. My appearance hadn't gone unnoticed either so I doubted I had much time before the socially curious wandered over to the new comer. My grip tightened around the egg in my hands, trying to draw some comfort in the solid object I bore. I'd never been very good at meeting others. At least thus far I'd had Cirrus and Nimbus with me to take the edge off of the larger groups I met with. I was alone now, however, and filled with all the anxious worries that accompanied new encounters like this.

I told myself that it wasn't really a big deal, that they were just going to be short term acquaintances that whom meeting with would amount to nothing for the most part. 'This isn't like a job interview or meeting your colleagues or teachers for the first time. I'm only going to be here for awhile and even if they don't like me or we have problems it won't matter in the long run.' This never helped me regardless, I was too self conscious of a person.

I didn't care what people thought of me per-say, I liked whom I was as a person and was proud of my chosen lifestyle. I only fretted that they could misconceive who I was when I presented myself. I don't care if they dislike me as a person, but if they dislike me for being a person that I'm not because a misunderstanding drove them to draw a wrong conclusion about me, it drove me insane and I was forever eternally worried about this outcome. Of the many things I could possibly hate in the world, miscommunication and misunderstandings were at the top of my list. How easily they're perpetuated didn't help in the least either.

Two minuns were bouncing my way, signaling the beginning of whatever events would follow from my entrance into this realm. They both stopped in front of me for a second and then began to circle me sniffing away. I just stood there nervously, not having been inspected like this before. "You smell like the woods mister!" One of the minuns had returned to the front of me and stood up to smile up at me. His high pitched voice was almost identical to that of a pichu's.

"The woods? Which woods? Have you been to the forest? What's it look like? I bet the tree's are huge, not like in here at all! Cyndi told us trees get as big as the mountains out in the wild! You're a pikachu right? Did you climb any of them trees and mountains? I bet she's exagrating, I don't think a tree can reach the clouds but Cyndi's real nice. I don't think she'd pull our-" The second minun had stopped next to the first one and I noticed the only difference between the two was the first minun to talk to me smelled a little better and his fur looked healthier. I guess the one talking didn't like getting cleaned as much. "What's your name?"

I snapped back to attention, almost mechanically answering him, still somewhat lost in my own world after drifting out from his endless stream of questions. They both tilted their heads slightly and shared a glance, "Stratus? That's a real funny name mister!" The cleaner of the two shared a laugh with, I was guessing, his brother. "I'm AC and this is DC!" I tried not to stare at them, 'Having names like that they would call Stratus weird?' "We all have funny names! Did humans name you too?"

'Oh, well at least their own names being odd didn't escape these two.' I shook my head to them, "No, my sisters named me." Looking at the children I remembered Violet having said they were adorable. 'Maybe to her, but I've never been much good around children.' I may only be sixteen but I still avoided all the kids below thirteen that I could. They were just so random and had such short attention spans.

The only child I'd spent a prolonged period with was my step cousin the few times I'd gone to visit my uncle. He'd remarried and his wife had children of her own as did he. They made up an odd family and I was always struggling to try and keep clear of both groups for fear of being swallowed whole by the antics. I'd stayed behind from their family outings, having no desire to participate in any of the activities they typically enjoyed while my mother and I were visiting. 'Game night at the recreation center? No thank you.'

So instead I spent my time at their cottage in Cherrygrove Village, where Brianna was usually staying behind for some random reason or another also. She spent a lot of her time pestering me to no end, and despite her being only two years younger than myself, made me feel there was a gap wider than any trench between the two of us in differences. Why my uncles step daughter gained so much pleasure in harassing me I had no clue. My best guess would be that she thought I was cool since I was always reading a survival manual of some form and she was dead set on being a pokemon trainer latter in life. There was a thought that made me shudder, I truly felt sorry for any pokemon that she captured on her insane journey. 'Not that she's evil or anything, just... so hyper.'

"You're parents let your sisters name you?" DC looked horrified at this thought, "No wonder you got such a weird name!"

His brother chimed in as well, looking equally sympathetic to my misfortune, "Your folks let them get away with that? That's awful mister. I'm real sorry."

"Eh? My sisters adopted me and I didn't have a name so they gave me one. I like my name actually." Well, I was impartial really, but I wanted to stick up for my adoptive sisters... whether they were present or not.

"As long as you like it I guess." AC looked a bit doubtful for a second before his previous excited attitude returned in full, "So what woods had you been to? I can smell the water and wild grass all over you." He'd gotten really close to me and was almost inhaling my fur. I nervously backed up a bit from him, not used to that kind of closeness with someone smelling my personal odor. He stopped after I moved and was looking at me from being down on all fours, "Not anyone comes in smelling like that. I only ever smelled the trees here that strongly before, does it smell like that all over out there? That would be wonderful."

"Ah, well yes it does I guess. I come from north of Mount Moon," I paused for a moment before finishing with, "in the Kanto region." I wasn't sure where I was now so I felt it would be a good idea to add the region in as well.

"Kanto? What's that?" DC had bounced over to his brother and was dragging him a bit away from me.

This reply gave me a dreadful start. Was I really in a foreign region now? How far had I been sent? "Umm, it's a region. Do you happen to know what region we're in right now?" 'Please be at least Johto, it'll be easier to return from there.'

"Region?" AC joined his brother in confusion. "I don't know Stratus. What's a region? Mount Moon you said though right?" He barely waited for a confirming nod before his tone jumped a few levels in apparent excitement, "That's awesome! Could you take us there sometime? We'll behave honest." He was giving me his best smile but I'm sure we both know it was an empty hopeful thought... at least I think he did anyway, I wasn't a child psychologist. It was humorous seeing him so happy and asking for me to take him somewhere while being slowly dragged away from me by his sibling.

"Eh? I don't think I could do that. I'm not even sure where it is to be honest." I went to scratch at my ears but noticed once again the egg that was held in my paws. I didn't feel I could safely carry it with only one paw so I kept them in their positions.

"Don't know where it is? We look at it all the time though, it's right outside the window in miss Stra-stresti-cles.. umm.. miss Star's room!" He was looking at me as though I'd grown a second head.

"You can see it from here?" I felt hope once more at this, 'So they don't know what regions are but at least they could tell me that the mountain is nearby.' My best guess was that I had been in Pewter city before. If they could still see the mountain in the distance from here, I could be in one of the other towns or cities south of it.

"Of course!" DC stopped dragging his brother once they were a greater distance away from me and gave me a "you're so silly" look.

"So is it okay then!? I'd love to see the woods!" AC was already back up and at it, he kept his distance due to his brother keeping a hold of his tail though at least. "It's not that far really, just have to walk towards the mountain right?"

I just smiled wanly and thought of how I could let the poor kid down gently without disappointing him too greatly. I was spared as another scent made itself known to me and I looked past the two children to see a miltank making her way to us. "You two stop pesterin' that poor pikachu now ya hear?"

"Ah Pita, we weren't buggin' him none. Were we Stratus?" DC protested her acusation before giving me deep woeful eyes, wishing to hear that I'd enjoyed their company. I wasn't so inclined as to be a complete jerk to some kids, whether they were too energetic for me or not. 'They are kinda cute I guess.'

"Of course not, we were having a wonderful conversation about the forest right? They grow real big, larger than any old charizard and all his brothers could ever reach on each others shoulders. I can't say I've seen any touch the clouds except on the mountain top though." I gave them the best child friendly tone I could muster, and was glad to see it pay off.

Their eyes grew wide at the image I'd given them and started to say 'nu uh' to me. I just nodded my head and told them about the giant apple tree the pikachu colony had. They were almost jumping up and down by the end of it and could hardly contain themselves. I actually felt pretty good that I could entice such excitement out of anyone like this. The miltank, Pita I assumed, was smiling at me, obviously just as happy with my success.

"No fooling? That's way big!" AC had stopped his jumping around and was addressing his brother with various hand gestures.

"Way bigger than I thought! Cyndi was foolin' us though AC! She said they scraped the clouds, I knew she had to be makin' it up. You were gulluble again, yep." DC was nodding to himself as if having found some deep revelation.

"I didn't believe her none! You were the one bouncing all over talking about climbing tree's into the sky." AC stuck his tongue out at his brother who in turn pulled down his right eye lid and returned with his own tongue assault.

"Hey now, you two better settle down. I don't wanta have ta break you up again after this mornin'." She'd placed her hoofed paws on her sides and was looking sternly at the two. They seemed to deflate almost instantly and bowed their heads. "That's better now." Turning back to me she exchanged greetings, "Howdy there, my name's Pita as ya heard from the twins. Yer Stratus right?"

She had a thick accent I'd heard only a couple times from others in my area. I felt it was a really cozy speech pattern and almost immediately liked the down to earth miltank in front of me. "Yes ma'am, that's my name." I was returning her smile and shifted the egg in my paws. 'I guess it is a bit lucky, so far everything is looking up.' It was getting annoying having to hold it like this though.

"I see Violet gave ya one o' her eggs! Were ya feelin' sad before?" She looked at my curiously, eyeing the egg I was as of thus far stuck carrying. It dawned on me that a piakchu holding an egg in his paws like this must actually be an odd sight.

"Oh! I love her eggs! Can I have-" AC was promptly silenced by his brother bopping him in the head before he could continue onward.

"Violet only gives her eggs out once in awhile. It's not right askin' for something she's gifted another with." DC shook his head at his brother though he too was glancing at the egg in my hands. I guess they'd been too busy being caught up in my scent to have noticed the egg really.

"Did you two... want this egg?" I hesitantly asked them. I was awkwardly aware that I had no clue what these were for and would almost be glad to be rid of the odd little item.

"What, really!?" DC was as excited as his brother at me mentioning their possible ownership.

"You bet we do! Is it okay though? You sure?" AC was inches from me again staring at the white egg, it was as big as the kids head.

"Sure you can have it. I think you'll enjoy it a lot more than I would." I held it out for the boys to take from me, giving them a friendly smile. Then it was gone. If I had blinked I would have missed it disappearing from my grasp as they bounded away passing it to each other.

"That was awful nice of ya hun. Not many folks get an egg from Violet and they hold onto them real tight ya know?" Pita had turned from the sight of the two boys playing with the egg around some unfortunate caterpie, to look at me once more.

"I just felt they'd be happier with it than I would is all." I gave her a shrug, I didn't want it to be made into a bigger deal than it was.

"Well shoot, here we are standin' on this rotten ol' stone floor when there's plenty o' grass to be staying on. Lets get you outa the doorway an all, like we're not invitin' ya in or somethin'." She gestured I should follow her down from the doorway to a tree near the center of the room. It was just a standard oak tree from what I could tell, healthy roots sprung from the ground all around it. They must have some big dirt pit in this part of the building if these plants are real. A place as nicely done as this had to be in a showy town relying on tourists.

Looking up I could see that the roof was the same see through plastic the door had been. The sunny sky shined down and I felt the comfortable warmth from it make me feel cozy. This was a pleasant change of pace for the ever constant rapid events that had seized me until now. I was almost sad when we reached the shade of the tree. 'No doubt about it, if my ability to deduce is at all accurate this would have to be Cerulean City.' I knew they were known for putting on shows and such, along with their water fountain architecture, so this kind of high class estate would fit the town perfectly.

I felt it would be prudent to confirm this instead of making any assumptions however. "Can you tell me what town we're in Pita?" I sat down and leaned against on of the larger roots sticking up. It offered enough support against the middle of my back to allow me to sit here comfortably.

"We're in Cerulean City Stratus. Did ya just go an' get moved 'ere?" She sat atop a root across from me, enjoying the shade and gentle breeze. The wind had to be artificial and the heat I was feeling in here was the same more than likely. It felt like it was spring or summer in here, not to mention the tree's still containing their lush canopy of leaves. I nodded to her but didn't add anything to the statement. I was suddenly feeling very tired, the days toll catching up to me. 'At least the day to me. I don't think I've slept or had any solid down time since I woke up from my head wound.'

She looked at me with concern, seeing the weariness that had caught up with me after all the activity that had been keeping me on my toes had come to an end, "Ya look awful worn out hun, I might have something that can help ya out though. Do ya want ta drink some of my milk? It'll make ya feel right better it will!"

"What!? No! No no nooooooo... no thanks, that's fine." I stared at her incredulously after my initial spasmodic reply had already snapped out. 'I can't believe she just offered that sort of thing. That's so... eeeew...' She was just trying to be nice but I couldn't help the burning embarrassment that filled me, and likely made my face and possibly whole body beet red, at such a suggestion. I was mortified that it had come up at all. I was plenty familiar with miltank products, having held a steady diet of it growing up, but that didn't mean I was... to take from the source instead of a glass would just... I couldn't even think of it properly. It was made all the worse by the fact that I was now a physically adult pokemon and it held some kind of sick erotic twist to it. I turned my head from Pita, no longer able to even look her in the eye.

She just laughed good naturally at my reaction, "Ah, you don't have to be so shy hun, it's okay real-"

I cut her off before she could continue, the sooner we were off this disturbing topic the better, "I'm alright, thanks for the offer and all, really. I just need to find a place I can sleep at you know? I'm dead tired is all. Know of any spots I can sneak off to and sleep without being disturbed too much?" I had turned back to her to say this but held my eyes firmly closed. I don't think I could ever look at a miltank again after this little interplay. 'I'm never drinking miltank milk again.'

"Oh, well aright then I suppose. Ya could try out over near the evergreen tree, I'll tell the youngins ta stay clear of ya too fer the day. Some belsprout stay over there but they're a fairly quiet bunch." I nodded to her and started to back up before she stopped me, "I doubt ya can see where I'm pointin' with yer eye's closed like that darlin'." She held a wry tone with me and I was embarrassed once again. Squinting my eyes a bit, I caught glance of where she had been pointing and quickly gave her a bow and my thanks.

Stumbling off over the various roots protruding from the oak tree, I realized what a fool I'd made of myself and possibly how much I might have offended the kind lady. I couldn't really blame myself for it however, after getting caught off guard in such a manner I wouldn't hold reacting as I had against anyone. I never dreamed I'd be placed into that sort of scene in all my days.

This pen was indeed fairly sizable I had to note. The evergreen residing almost in it's own corner had a small water hole next to that I walked around. This room had to be at least hundred or so feet in length, a little less in width. There were indeed several belsprout lounging by the tree, basking in the sun and enjoying the refreshing water that they held their roots in. I nodded to a bulbasuar that glanced my way as I passed by. He just closed his eyes again, once more ignoring the world around him as he lay near the water.

Crawling underneath the evergreen, it made for a nice spot to sleep at, reminding me of the burrow's I had grown accustomed to. It felt like it had been ages since I'd seen the other pikachu's, though it couldn't have been more than a few days to a week for me. I had so much I wanted to think about and plan, but I was too tired to begin bothering with it all. 'When I wake up I'll cover all this extra information, until then...' I drifted off without further adieu.

END Chapter 17 - Weary Times

Parting Author Note: I was roaming around a pokedex for some info when I came across the miltank and instantly thought of how Jek would react to this sort of pokemon and how their milk is drank for recovery by others. It was just too golden to pass up, I was laughing all day at the different scenario's I could easily see him spazzing out in. I thank the staff that thought up this pokemon simply for this one brilliant moment. It was glorious, and I think the poor guy is scarred. Sorry for the shorter chapter than normal, just didn't have much more to add here until the next one.

I'd give my customary statement today but I've lost my hat... just isn't right without it. Please come back soon hat, I miss you!

P.S I realized the other day that the only chapter I have yet to go back and fix up is my very first one. I'm going to take a day to revise it thoroughly since it's the first piece of writing newcomers see of mine whenever I update this thing, bumping it up on the category listing. I glanced at it and it's a complete mess... I was mortified. Hopefully I can fix the first chapter to be of the same quality we've all come to expect of me. What this boils down to? Seeya on Saturday!


	19. Energetic Unrest

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: I officially hit the one month writing mark, as of yesterday. I think the last month went rather well.. and really fast actually. It's shocking to see how much I've written in such a short time, though a month seems to be awhile it flew right past typing this story up as much as I have been. When I look at the previous chapters from a couple weeks ago they seem alien to me, like someone else wrote them entirely almost.

I'm disappointed that I didn't hit the 100k word count mark, but Trek's chapter as well as that hectic week did a number on me. I hope the month had been as rewarding for you all as it has been for me, I feel a much better writer now than I was 30 days prior. Each chapter takes me about 6 hours to do, minimum, also. It's insane thinking of how much time I've put into this in January also. I barely play WoW anymore nowadays, or read, it's been fun though so I won't complain.

More to come folks! Hope this month goes as well as the last. Sorry for the late update, had it rough the last few days.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 18 - Energetic Unrest

I was running through a forest, my desire a fleeting target in the brambles ahead. I rushed past brush and bushes, paying them the little heed they required of me. My legs were feeling my exertion and my heart ready to burst, but I continued onwards. Covered in numerous cuts and having to wipe sweat from my eyes, I couldn't be happier. My clothes looked as dirty as I felt and it was exhilarating.

I glanced at the denizens as I passed by, they stayed clear of my set path. The barely visible dirt trail spiraled into the distance, a hazy lush green horizon I couldn't glimpse so far away from it that I was. I don't know how far I've run down this path, how long I've been on it, but I feel as though my whole life has been this journey. This one passage into the the glorious horizon. I wanted to see it so bad, I wanted to be there and witnessing it, I'd give anything to do it.

I tripped on a rock and was sent spiraling. The dirt ripped into me and I felt the first real pain and discomfort on this endeavor. Getting into a crouch from the forest floor I looked behind me to find the offensive object. A peculiar item lay half buried along the worn trails edge, what looked like a blue sphere no bigger than my closed fist. I wanted to continue onwards, but the object held my attention, drawing me to it. I carefully closed the gap between us and stooped down to collect it from the earth. The orb came loose easily, the dirt rubbing off without any resistance. The blue object was cold and smooth to the touch, it felt alien compared to all that I was surrounded by.

While I was gazing at the odd thing, the quiet that had engulfed me caught my attention. Looking about I couldn't see any other creature, I was alone here suddenly. Before I could wonder why the orb had slipped from my grasp and rolled away into the thicket that walled in my path's border. I knew a moment of hesitation while staring after the tracer filled path left in it's wake, and then I was moving after it. All at once, the valley of light I had been traveling in was gone and instead the canopied darkness consumed me. I continued onwards after the vague sapphire blue that continued to recede further from me.

The thorns scraped painfully across me, they ripped at my clothes and skin, but I still frantically pushed past them all without a care for their harassment. I scrambled into an opening only to have my knee's sink into the earth deeply, looking down found me staring into a sand trap of some form. I tried to shift my way to the side, move a little towards the tree next to me only to get me waist deep. I stopped my struggle, knowing I'm only making it worse.

Trying to look around me for some aid I find the orb is in arms reach on the dirt ledge next to me, and there are a few roots sticking out closer to me a few feet from it that I could grab a hold of also. I needed to pull myself out with the roots, then I could collect the orb and make my way back to the path. This was the best plan, the course of action yielding the highest amount of success.

I stared at the blue ball, it's presence haunting me. I could also grab the ball now and still reach for the roots, this way it wouldn't fall in by accident, thus being lost forever. It was a slight risk but I was already reaching for the object. It was in arms length so it shouldn't be difficult, I'd just get and pocket it then be out of here. My arm wasn't grabbing it however, I knew it was close enough so I didn't understand what the problem was. Glancing to my arm I saw a yellow furred appendage ending in a paw.

I screamed into the darkened woods, the cries that answered it caused my ears to twitch. The grimy dirt clung uncomfortably to my body, with the recent addition of fur, and the sand had reached my neck. I gazed up into the thick branches that offered no light past their greedy leaves, seeing the eyes of all the creatures I had passed by, with only a glance, staring down at me. The world was cold as the sand took me fully.

-----------------------------------

"Ah! What the-?" I jerked awake, all at once aware of my surroundings while being sent into a completely alert state from resting. My quick search turned up the two minun brothers next to me with the egg I'd given them earlier. I was soaking wet from being splashed with some kind of cold water but couldn't find the source of it. The two minun were looking at me like a stantler caught in headlights, which led me to believe they were at fault in some way. "What's this all about? Why am I soaked?"

"Sorry! We didn't mean to!" All at once DC was frantically waving about trying to ward off any incoming aggression. "We were just bringing it over thought you'd be thirsty and all and figured since you were nice we could get some for you but then then egg slipped and it emptied out all over you we didn't mean sorry don't be mad please!" I blinked once, then twice staring at him.

"The egg?" I finally managed to push out rather stupidly. My mind was still trying to catch up with what he'd said exactly. Looking to it, I noticed it wasn't quite the right shape.

"Ya, we filled it with water to bring to you." AC picked it up and I saw that the top had cracked open and the egg was wet.

"You guys already broke the egg?" I felt bad for having given it to them now, surely Violet would be sad to know her gift had held such a short life span.

They looked a somewhat guilty when I asked them this, "Ya, AC couldn't wait and wanted to see the inside right away."

"Eh!? You did too! Don't say it was just me!" AC was immediately indignant with his brother. They started to bicker amongst themselves shortly as I watched, trying to catch my breath as the adrenaline rush left me. I was trembling from the after effects of my rude awaking, the first of it's kind in my entire life. 'I truly hope I don't get woken via water more than once a decade or so.'

They were starting to make faces at each other again and I sighed before speaking up at them, "Enough, stop fighting already." When they gave me their attention eventually, DC getting the last gesture in, I asked a question that begged for an answer, "Why would you want to break an egg to see what's inside?"

"Huh?" AC looked at me blankly, obviously not following my question.

"What do you mean? Opening them is the best part! We shoulda done it at night though AC, it looks a lot better. You just couldn't wait though." DC nodded his head solemnly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I didn't see you being patient none either, so there! Nyaa!" AC's brother ignored him as he stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry once again.

I interrupted what could be the beginning of another childish fight, "What's inside the eggs?"

AC stopped at once and gave me a look, "You don't know?

His brother joined him in his incredulous stare, "You mean you didn't know and you gave it to us?"

Being under both children's scrutiny I felt very foolish, 'Of course I'm supposed to know what's in a chansey's mystery egg, it's so obvious to everyone. I guess I just missed that memo they left in my room detailing it.' I knew it was reasonable for me to not know but having them look at me like this with such blatant surprise it felt like I'd told them I couldn't read or something basic like that. I just shook my head to answer their questions, attempting to retain as much dignity and pride as possible in their eyes.

"Pretty lights come out when you open them! The-" AC was excitedly telling me this harbored secret as his brother jumped onto his head and took the spot light while making big gestures with his arms and sparks coming from his cheeks.

"Like vroom! Boom and pow! Reds yellow and even blue! They dance around in circles and stuff it's amazing!" DC fell off his brother as he struggled underneath him, rolling around to throw the other minun off balance.

AC pushed his paws down on his brothers head, holding him down instead now while addressing me, "It's so cool! They all shoot off and around different each time!"

Flopping around underneath his brother's hold, DC huffed out another response, "It looks a lot cooler at night cause it's all bright and stuff, but AC couldn't wait for nothing." He was grabbing at AC's arms but his brother held firm, giving him an indignant look.

"You coulda stopped me when I went to do it but you got a better position below our rock so you could see it better!"

Finally he had to let DC go after he'd kicked himself forward slightly, throwing his brothers weight off. He looked ready to continue, the second squabble in such a short time, but I cut him off, "So the eggs shoot out light and make noises?" I needed some confirmation before I moved on. When they both nodded to me, their conflict forgotten as quickly as it had begun I continued onwards, "And then the egg is hallow afterwards?"

DC nodded as his brother picked up the egg once again and brought it to me. It was indeed hallowed out, still containing some of the water that had splashed me a moment ago. Seeing it I was a bit thirsty so I took the egg from the minun and tried my best to tilt the egg up to my mouth. It was awkward, difficult, and funny looking when I finally managed to do it, only to have it rush past my mouth mostly. The escaping fluids dribbled down the sides of my face and what little I could get into my mouth I almost choked on, not having drunk like this while a pikachu before.

The two minuns were looking at me a little funny and I felt embarrassed once more. I snapped out a bit at them, "I just woke half a minute ago and I'm still tired is all." They didn't look convinced but I doubt they'd say anything having been the ones to rudely wrest me from my slumber. That reminded me of my current state which put my body into shaking off the water that'd been clinging to me as best it could.

"Hey!" The minun cried out a bit as drops of water sprayed about hitting them both, each of them covering their faces and turning their backs to me.

I looked at them apologetically as I stood onto my hind legs. "Sorry about that guys. How did you splash me anyway?"

They were wiping away at their fur a bit as AC answered me, "We were carrying it here when I lost my balance sliding on the brush here. Pita said to leave you alone, we only meant to bring it over for later. You're not mad are you?" They were looking at me with those sad eyes again. 'Holy miltank, these guys are good at that look.'

I was scratching at my ear nervously, they looked ready to cry almost. "I guess not, it was just really sudden is all." They looked relieved and stopped with their twin assault upon my conscience at once. I didn't feel very tired after the rush just now and I knew if I slept all day I'd be up all night so I decided to stay awake for the time being. Something about the dream I'd had while sleeping also made me wary to go back to it so soon as well, though I couldn't recall it clearly. 'I normally forget my dreams after being awake for awhile, I guess this one is no different.' It saddened me that I didn't recall my dreams as others so often do, but I didn't dwell on it for long.

I went back to ground level and made my way out from under my shelter. The sun was just past midday, so I had the whole of the afternoon and evening ahead of me. Before I could decide my first course of action the two minun were already leaping out from behind me into the open. Seeing them jumping about the water front I realized how filthy I must be, having gone as long as I did without bathing one way or another. 'Hmm, I'm not sure if they cleaned me when I was in that room or not.' Looking at myself I didn't seem as grimy as I could have been, but neither did I feel as fresh or thoroughly washed as I was used to being back at the colony.

I stuck my tongue out for a second and stood there staring at my arm. I wouldn't mind licking myself clean too much really, but I didn't know how for the most part. I'm sure if I just started going at it something might kick in, but at the same time I had to wonder if it was taught or instinct. I didn't reflexively start bathing myself at any point until now, and even standing here with the will for it nothing really stirred. 'This hasn't been a problem the entirety of my time like this, did I just.. forget it or something? Do pikachu need to be taught how to do this like other skills? I remember Lightning having to clean his sister for practice... does that mean we are taught this since you can be "bad" at it?' I noticed how I'd used "we" when referring to pikachu in my inner monologue, but didn't particularly care. I was trying to figure out how to lick myself clean properly, so it seemed rather obvious I was a pikachu at this point.

I didn't know but I was starting to feel foolish just standing there, with my tongue out staring at my arm, so I relaxed back into a normal position and looked back to the small pond. The two minun were giving me a weird look, whispering to each other, and I once again felt the heat of their scrutiny. 'Do I really seem so strange to these young mice? I wonder if they think I'm some crazy woodland mouse type yokel with odd ways from being out in the woods away from civilization for too long.' Ignoring them for the moment I headed to the pond and submerged myself quickly, remembering Cirrus's stance on how to get used to water.

It was briskly cold, but not freezing, thanks to the indoor heating no doubt. 'Thank you electricity.' Shaking the water from my head as I swam out a bit, I tried to ruffle my fur up under the clear liquid as best as I could. It ended with me scrubbing and scratching up my fur for awhile till it was all poofy and splayed. I hoped some of the grime and such would be worn out from my doing this and eventually called it good after doing my ears and head for awhile.

I shook myself again after getting out of the water, though without victims this time. Trying to smooth down my fur, I noticed the belsprout still nearby. Whether they were the same ones or different plants that had shown up since I'd gone to sleep, I wasn't sure. The bulbasuar was nowhere in sight, 'He probably went off somewhere else.' Someone laughing behind me drew my attention away from the other lake dwellers.

AC was almost hyperventilating as he lay on the ground laughing my way while his brother was grinning. "Yo-ou was-sh ju-jus-just like m-haha-my brother!" Said brother looked completely unfazed at this remark, he looked even happier at the comparison.

'Oh great, so I'm going to be grimy like him then.' This was a depressing thought but I wasn't really fazed. I spent most of my time dirty these days, I just didn't like the idea that I couldn't get myself into a pristine clean state when I wanted to. Always when I was trouncing through the mud and covered in sweat and leaves and flakes of random plants I always held the thought that I'd be clean eventually, I just had to wait and endure. Knowing I was incapable of giving myself proper grooming was a new concept, and I didn't like it at all. 'I'll have to fix that as soon as I can. If I'm like this for that much longer anyway.' I wouldn't let myself forget that I _would_ be human again, period. 'I'll make it to that cave and she _will_ change me back.'

"You only get so clean cause you like Violet being all gushy over you is all." DC huffed at his laughing brother before turning back to me, "Who needs all that cleaning stuff... just takes up all your time and you get dirty again right after anyway. You agree don't you Stratus?" He looked desperately hopeful at having an ally on this subject for what would likely be the first time.

"Well I... err..." I couldn't bring myself to break the kids hopes like this. Looking around for anything that could distract them in any form I noticed a blue rubber ball lying on the the ground nearby. "What's that thing there?" I feigned ignorance, no doubt it was a toy and they'd be more than happy to teach the woodland creature about it. 'The perfect crime...' I felt like a villain playing the two kids, but by now I'd gotten used to it. It seemed more of a playful joke than anything else really.

I realized then that I hadn't done this sort of thing when I was a human and this caused me to wonder if this was a twist on my personality the mischievousness pichu and pikachu have took on me. 'Have I always been like this and just not been in social enough settings to realize it? Or is this species innate nature affecting me somehow on a core level?' I didn't have anyway of knowing, and that train of thought unsettled me, so I put it aside for now. 'Lets just put it aside like so many other unknowns, like usual these days.' I couldn't stop this bitter thought as the truth of the statement stung me. I reasoned I had no choice lately since so much was going on and I had little to compare any of it to.

"Huh? Oh that?" DC's attention changed from me to the ball, as I knew it would, and he bounded over to it. It was small enough to fit into a grown persons hand, likely half the size the egg had been. He picked it up and sent it rolling to his brother. AC managed to stop it while catching his breath, still recovering from his fit of laughter.

"This is a ball, miss Joy gave it to us to play with." AC was tossing it into the air and catching it. Eventually he passed it to DC whom caught it and started to go up and down with it as his brother had. "It's really fun, did you want to try?"

Hearing AC invite me, DC threw the ball my way and I couldn't help but catch it. Holding the smooth rubber ball in my hand I realized how long it had been since I'd truly held anything man made like this. 'You don't know what you have until you lose it.' The old proverb reeled it's head at me. 'I don't miss this stuff though, not like I was ever really spending my time around civilization to begin with.' It was true too, I knew I'd spent every moment I could wondering the forest or open fields. This made me think of the path in my dream briefly, 'I don't remember it all, but I had been running down a trail of some kind.'

"Aren't you going to pass it?" AC was looking a bit upset, obviously waiting for me to send it his way. 'I must have blanked out.' I didn't keep him waiting, instead gently sending the ball towards the young minun.

"AC, we should show him the best part!" DC was looking excited again, having thought up some great plan I wasn't sure I'd like too much. AC nodded eagerly and threw the ball high into the air above them. I was confused as to what this could possibly signify but it was all made clear as they both shot out weak shock attacks towards it. When the ball landed a moment later, only slightly blackened, I could see it was undamaged and the twins were breathing heavily. 'I guess that's why they gave them a rubber ball, target practice on an unaffected object.'

"See? Cool huh?" AC managed to squeeze out of his lungs. Their attacks hadn't hurt them at least, but it obviously took the two a lot of effort to manage what they did. 'I'll bet they put their all into it to try and impress me. I'm likely the only other electric rodent they've ever met.' This thought brought to me the dawn of an understanding. 'No doubt that was why they were so hyper and such around me, instead of spending time with the other occupants. I'm like some kind of... err... what would that be? Not older brother, mentor or teacher... like a... well someone they look up to... right! I'm like a role model to them I guess.'

This concept was proven as they asked if I was impressed, to which I nodded and told them that was pretty good. They both huffed up a bit and AC asked me if I could show them what I could do. Picking up the ball, I tossed it high into the air and let a small attack fly to it. 'I could let loose on it but I don't want to be a show off.' My attack cracking through the air striking the ball in a shower of energy impressed them all the same, however.

I was mildly awed myself, I hadn't really just sent my attacks about since I'd transformed. The few times only being while in a battle when I couldn't appreciate what I was doing exactly. The feel of the energy flowing from my electrical pouches across the air was exhilarating. I could almost feel the lightning even after it had left me, like some extended antennae or something, still feeling like it was a part of me until it had distanced itself far enough away from it's origins. As the ball landed smoking nearby both minun were already pouncing on it.

"I want to try again, come on AC!" DC had relinquished the ball to his brother who was gearing up to throw it back into the air. I laughed a bit as they repeatedly shocked the ball for a while after my display. 'I really must be the first one they've seen, I couldn't imagine them being this impressed otherwise.' I felt a bit sad at this though, they most likely didn't know their parents if they haven't seen attacks like this yet.

After awhile they were worn out and unable to continue on, I just picked up the ball and sat next to them as they tried to catch their second wind. AC turned to me eventually and asked what it had been like where I'd lived. I know I don't normally like being around children, but something about the two boys made me not mind sticking around for awhile to talk to them. I wondered if this is what it was like to be a mentor. 'I've always been in the position of being the student, I haven't really taught anyone or had a person looking up to me like this.'

My step cousin hardly counted considering she spent her time annoying me rather than actually asking me questions or being interested in the subjects I knew. 'Or maybe I'd just been a kid too and didn't have this sense yet?' I felt it could be that I was a pikachu now also, since I was technically a full adult like this. 'Maybe I have a level of maturity now that I'd lacked before.' I didn't think of myself as a child when I was sixteen or fourteen, the years between which I'd visited with her bugging me, though. I figured it had to be more of a herding sense or that I was just in a different mood now than I had been with Brianna. 'I was annoyed with having to be at Cherrygrove Village those times, so that didn't help I'm sure.'

So I told them all that I could about the pikachu colony, no doubt Terra would be proud of me if she had been here to hear this. 'If she was here though, I'm sure she'd have cut in before me to answer this question instead.' I smiled inwardly when I recalled the energetic pichu that had shared her time with me in that field. I was surprised that she spent any time with me at all considering my much duller nature compared to her own, but then I figured maybe it just fit well for her since I didn't know much and only talked a little where as she liked to talk and knew more than plenty.

The sky had pitched orange before I realized it and they were only just barely staying awake. They'd missed most of what I'd said for the last few minutes even, only half taking it in through their sleep trodden consciousness. I was beginning to worry as to what I could do with the two prone children when I saw a large shape making her way over to us.

The miltank towered over me as she collected the two small children easily into her arms. I hadn't realized before just how much taller than me she was, easily three to four times my height. She just smiled and gave me a nod, "I told 'em ta leave ya be but they just didn't darn listen I tell ya. I was comin' over to get 'em again when I saw y'all playing over 'ere. Thanks for that Stratus, these boys don't show it none, but they really are lonely 'ere."

I just smiled back, my eyes growing weary again as they had earlier that day. Something about this lady just made me want to pass out when she was nearby, like a peaceful or calming aura of some kind. That, or her accent was even cozier than I originally suspected. Bidding her a good night I made my way back to the evergreen that had long since accustomed itself in my mind as my den.

I noticed my original spot was still somewhat damp so I made myself a new sleeping area by smoothing out the debris in it before lying down on my stomach and curling my tail around me. 'Hopefully I won't have any interruptions like the last time this round.' My eyes were so tired they felt sore, as I closed them to rest their muscles they made their exertion well known to me. They needn't have bothered though, soon I was far past their reach and I paid my body's words little heed as I left it's realm.

END Chapter 18 - Energetic Unrest

Parting Author Note: I decided to focus a chapter on the two brothers because I've never written about children before. These two are my first true attempts (since Terra and Trek were teenagers not children... well "young" children, whatever) and so I wanted to try and get some practice in with them. Have to be able to write those different character personality dynamics and all. It took me half a hour just to find the name of the deer like pokemon, stantler, when I used the headlights saying though. So ya.. that blew.

As for the egg, I figure if a chansey can make an exploding egg they could make a much less powerful "fireworks" like one. This is the only thing I can really think of when it comes to an egg they give out to promote happiness. Since so many peoples spirits are uplifted when they see a firework display of some form. If their 'handed' out eggs have another property they're capable of then that's fine also, I'm going to stick with this being not only possible but highly likely however. Luckily there aren't any killer chansey that hand out fully charged exploding eggs to unsuspecting individuals... "yet" anyway. Team Rocket should set it's sights on this type of pokemon, or maybe they already have... in my realm, we'll see. Muahahaha!

Till next time! Yeee Haw!


	20. Unwelcome Findings

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: While I was re-reading some of the chapters, I found I had accidentally broken the fourth wall in my 7th chapter and mentioned ducks and swans in the 16th chapter. I fixed them of course, but I wish I had noticed these slip ups sooner. Haha, that fourth wall one almost had me falling over, I was so surprised. It was just kinda there, out in the open, but not unless you actually noticed it or thought about it a little more than giving it a glance. Jek directed a question at the reader using 'you', but it could be taken as being rhetorical also, so it was kinda sneaky like that.

Some of you may be wondering how a lot of things are working technology wise. The way I see it, in the second movie they had a flying fortress let alone all the random and crazy machinery and computer tech displayed elsewhere. I figure their technology is far more advanced, or at least has improved fantastically in different routes we haven't seen yet(I'm not willing to say anything is impossible for us to achieve as a species so I won't say we can't reach this avenue eventually). It's also a children's show, so it wasn't designed to make complete sense to begin with. I'll be trying my best to paint a fit and logical view but don't ask of me the impossible. No one person should be charged with making sense of a world made to excite the imagination. If you weren't wondering this... well alrighty then.

Onwards we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 19 - Unwelcome Findings

I awoke the next day well after the morning sun rise had cracked the sky with it's light hued blade. 'I must have really been tired if I slept for that long.' Coming out from under my tree I decided to stretch my legs a bit and get a better view of the area. 'I haven't really exercised since I was captured, that's probably not the best thing. I'm hardly very strong compared to other pikachu, I don't want that to decline even more.'

So I began to pace around the edge of the room, darting about at a speed I could only compare to that of jogging as a human. I was going fast enough to exert myself, but not enough to leave me gasping for air and falling to the ground. There were two other tree's aside from the oak and evergreen, small maple saplings were positioned adjacent to the spot I'd made my home for the time being. Several caterpie and metapod were resting in this area, though I saw a gloom talking to a dugtrio as well. I almost stopped for a second and say hello but felt I should stay focused until this was finished.

Between these trees and the doorway, I had gone through to enter this small realm, was a small artificial creek. It had a rock bed and several larger chunks of granite strewn about it, complete with a little ledge that gave one part a small foot high drop off. One stone in particular looked to have several blackened marks about it, leading me to believe it was the one the minun brother's had mentioned. All across the front of this section of the room was a reflective surface along the wall. I gazed at it as I passed by, taking in the sight as best I could with my brief attention. It wasn't a full blown mirror, it was more like clouded white glass. I felt the urge once again to deviate from my exercise but squashed it. 'Complete this task then look into all the things you've built up on your to do list. Not like I don't have all day ahead of me more than likely.'

I decided to call my efforts to an end after my sixth lap, I wasn't trying to break any limits on myself here, just keeping in shape. I didn't feel up for having a day in a new setting being worn ragged like I was after all those times with Thunder and Trek. 'It's also counter motivating to be the only one in here improving yourself...' Was an idle thought that passed by, it was true too. With the others I was out in a field set exactly for self improvement and I had a personal trainer along with a partner. Here I was just some pikachu running around in circles. I knew it was foolish to feel silly about self improvement, but logic doesn't work on the heart. 'My life would be that much less complicated otherwise, as I'm sure so many others would be also.'

Before I could get started my stomach made it's desires known, stifling any priority my curiosity may have held. 'I don't think I've seen any berry bushes, I doubt foraging is an option.' I decided to ask a readily helpful source of knowledge for an answer to my dilemma. Making my way over to the oak tree, I tried to find Pita. 'She seems to be making her home here, so hopefully I'll find her or a trace of where she might be.'

My theory proved fruitful as I approached it and did in fact smell her presence nearby. Circling the tree, hopping over it's various outcropping roots, I came across the pink pokemon. She appeared to be enjoying a peaceful morning while talking with the bulbasuar I'd seen the other day. I didn't want to interrupt them but my gut was enraged at this point. 'I should have considered this before I decided to take that jaunt around the neighborhood...' I chuckled nervously at this thought.

The noise brought their attention to me, taking away the option of leaving them in peace for the time being. Pita waved me over while the lizard-plant pokemon eyed me warily as he had the day before. "Mornin' to ya Stratus! It's just gorgeous today, ain't it?" Briefly looking into the cloudless sky I had to agree. 'The climate is most likely less appealing outside but in here it is indeed rather comfortable.'

"This stoic guy 'ere is Whiplash. Don't ya go mindin' 'im none, he's just real quiet ya know?" She gestured to her companion whom I gave a small bow of my head in greeting. He returned but didn't voice any comment otherwise. "Slept in there didn't ya? It's almost midday there Stratus, ya musta been awful tired." She gave a short laugh, like this was some sort of inside joke for her. 'Perhaps she's just used to younger adults like me sleeping about all the time or something. I know a lot of my peers liked to sleep in as much as they could.'

"You're right, I definitely didn't expect to sleep for so long, my body must have really needed the extra rest." I turned to the bulbasuar for a second, wanting to make sure of something, "You don't mind that I've started to sleep under the tree near your pond do you?" I guess I just figured it was kind of like his area and i didn't want to go stepping on anyones toes around here. It made sense to me in some way that the belsprout would look up to the bulbasuar as a type of leader figure.

"It's fine." He just shook his head and left it at that. He continued to give me a flat stare and I was left feeling a bit unnerved. 'I guess he really is stoic.' I'd only known one person like this and from my experience all you can do is resist the urge to assume that they don't like you and are thus treating you like this. It's just how some people are, not seeing a need to say more words than absolutely necessary.

"This ain't like the woods Stratus, you're free to go where ya please 'ere." She'd taken on a tone indicating a possible incoming lecture, but stopped when my hunger was made obvious with a rather embarrassing sound. "Well now, and 'ere I thought ya'd come over ta say hi to little ol' me." She looked at me with reproachful amusement.

I felt bad that I was in this fuax pas(French for "false step", said as 'f-O p-aw'. It's when you commit a social mistake and possibly insult someone culturally/socially; serving pork for dinner when you have Jewish guests over, putting ketchup onto a steak in a fine dining restaurant, asking a woman her age directly) but there was little I could do. All the same, I tried to explain my situation, or excuse rather, as best I could to try and dwindle the issue, "I only just woke up and went for a run around the area. I hardly had time to catch my breath when I was beset with this problem." I was scratching at my ear now, it must be a nervous habit for pikachu or just me in particular I figured.

I didn't used to do this sort of thing and the only reason I could think of was that it felt good to have my ears scratched so I must be reflexively doing it to try and relax in these kinds of situations. 'Oh great, I have a nervous twitch now.' "I would have come over to say hello Pita, not just because I needed something." I gave this the best sincere tone that I could muster in my pained state. 'I really need to start keeping up on my eating habits.'

She laughed at me and started to wave her hand in a dismissive fashion, "I was just pullin' your leg Stratus, no need to get so worked up over it. You take things a little too serious ya know?" She stood up from her position and moved to pick up a bundle I hadn't noticed was next to the tree's base. It was somewhat of a box shaped thing wrapped in what appeared to be a thin linen cloth of some form. "They drop breakfest off in the mornin' an' there's a second meal a bit after midday. I knew ya'd be starvin' after missin' it yesterday." Handing me the parcel she stepped back to retake her spot before the still silent bulbasuar.

"Poor Violet was beside herself this morning, couldn't hardly believe she'd forgotten to feed ya last night she couldn't. Ya weren't supposed to be in here that early I guess, so when they were preparing the food they'd forgotten to add an extra serving. That and you were busy nappin' so it just went on by like a cloud on a good head wind, routine an' all." She paused for a second before grinning at me, "Course if ya'd taken me up on ma offer this wouldn't have been much of a problem."

I was instantly red as she brought this back up, and shifted my eyes from her. I knew she was just teasing me with this, but the horror hadn't dulled just yet. Ignoring the bemused miltank as best I could, I unwrapped what I hoped would be a very delicious and filling meal. It turned out to be a loaf of something or other. I stared at it for a second confused as to what it could possibly be. 'This almost reminds me of fruit cake, but... well maybe it is actually.' Looking at it closely I could see different chunks and pieces of fruit strewn throughout the loaf along with different kinds of nuts. I decided it simply looked odd to me since I was used to seeing them made with human friendly items where as this was a pokemon centered one.

I took a bite and was almost floored with the rich flavors that immediately assaulted my senses. "This is amazing! Thank you Pita!" I beamed at her after I managed to swallow the bite I'd savored despite my hunger. I started to help myself to more, the tender bits of succulent fruit dancing about my mouth enacting some ballet I was unaware of.

"Glad ya like it hon. Violet brought it extra special to make up fer forgettin' like that and all." She was smiling at me as i'd already downed half the loaf in such a short time. As much as I was trying to savoir it, I did feel my hunger lapping at me. "Not tryin' to be rude or nothin' honey, but... well me and Whiplash were havin' a bit of a private chat a sec' ago... so you see..." It was obvious she didn't want me to be offended and was unsure of how to properly convey this request.

Shaking my head to her I gave her my promise that I didn't think she could ever be rude and started to make my way from the two of them. I stopped for a second to ask, "Where are AC and DC? I figured I'd have seen them around by now..." She called out that they were with their "caretaker" at the moment. I stared at her for a second when she said this then mutely nodded and began to depart once more. I was vaguely aware of the lizard pokemon giving me a brief "Farewell."

'Likely the miss "Star" they mentioned before.' I wasn't sure what she meant by caretaker but figured it could be their case worker or whatever the job would be for handling them. I wasn't aware of what their situation was, so I didn't know what kind of attention they'd require.

I was more than finished with my food by the time I reached the artificial creek. I rinsed the sticky material from my hands and mouth before trying to dry my now wet fur a bit. 'I should have a word with some of the other occupants, gather some information... wait, what information? I know where I am and all I'm waiting for now is an opportune time to leave.' It was silly that I was trying to over complicate the matter. I knew I wanted to make up for what had happened back at the colony and the road block I was subsequently placed in there after, but I didn't need to get crazy about it.

This more relaxed train of thought had me decide to find a spot to simply enjoy a quiet moment. Climbing atop what was the minun's rock I laid flat, belly down, onto the warm surface. Feeling the soft rays of the sun upon my back and the cozy warmth seeping into me from my now quenched belly, I wanted to just lay here for the day. I wouldn't, but I could entertain the thought as much as I liked at this point. 'Everyone deserves a break once in awhile, and I think I'm one such individual.' I remembered the hardships I'd been through since I first entered that accursed cave, recalling the events of the last month in detail for the first time. Thinking of the obstacles placed before me, all the victories and failures, set backs and achievements, I realized just how much I had been through in such a short time compared to the rest of my life.

"It was all going so well..." I was lamenting the events that had led me so far astray from what I had felt was a rather straight forward and unfaltering future. I wasn't one to talk to myself, but alone as I was at the moment I really wanted to hear my own voice on my ears. Talking of the truths I couldn't bring myself to share out of fear, a sort of release since they so desperately wanted to be spoken. "You had a promising career you were well prepared for and passionate in following. You're family had it's problems but they were always there waiting for your return, ever stable. You had some grand dreams and achievable goals ahead of you to accomplish." I let out a heavy sigh thinking of all my woes and tried to breath them out with this gesture, freeing me to take in more positive energy after it's release, "Oh Jek, where ever did you go so wrong..."

I lay there upon the rock staring into the creek for a time, just trying to gain some mental peace for a moment amidst the streams babbling waters and relaxing notes of music that danced from it's ever constant movement. Something struck me as being odd though and I concentrated on what it could be. It had to be something recent since it was a vague sense of wrongness that didn't appear until a moment before. 'Maybe I shouldn't talk to myself is all, seems like it's making me feel uncom-wait a second!' "Jek?" I jerked upright from my overly loose sprawled position on the warm chunk of granite.

"Jek? Jek? Jek Jek Jek... Jek!?" 'What the hell? I can say my name now? When I first woke up as a pichu I couldn't say it, not knowing it's meaning or anything to convey it to Cirrus and Nimbus. Why the hell can I say it now?' I was frustrated to no end having yet another unkown thrown at me forcefully like this. I was constantly being bombarded with new information and circumstances, my sense of calm and stability feeling the brunt of the damage from this barrage. People make assumptions based on observations and knowledge every day to get by living, having the ones I'd been making continuously destroyed was not a healthy situation for my mental and emotional state.

I recalled the chansey at, what I figured was, the pewter city pokemon center being named "Tammy," but hadn't really made the connection at the time. 'The other day the minun were trying to say a ladies name and ended up saying "Star" instead. The minun are young but their species doesn't change at any point after birth. So that could have been them having the ability to do it but not the mental processes? Was it because pichu don't have the vocals or mind for it or something, while being a pikachu I'm able to process the information properly now?' The more I thought on it, the more this seemed a likely scenario. It made me question myself however, 'What else did I think I couldn't do that I can now? Am I just holding myself back by accepting these limitations?'

I eventually did away with the whole thing, not like it would help me much anyway. Sticking with Stratus as my pikachu name seemed appropriate regardless if I was able to say mine or not. 'If I ask people to call me Jek as I am now... it'll be like accepting this as what I'll be.' It was bothersome thinking about this, how I could have missed the signs in front of me I wasn't sure. It felt like yet another of a long string of failures, however minute it may be.

'Well, that relaxing mood has been ruined.' I thought bitterly, leaving the rock behind with a leap. I began to make my way to the reflective walling that was near the creek. It begged me to find the answer to it, and I felt it should be obvious to me for some reason. Like it was a "Stop" sign that just had it's words in a different language and I should still be able to figure out what it meant.

The truth seemed to be dawning on me slowly as I gazed at it. The thoughts I was following along were the different types of glass people would use in a situation or room like this. I almost had the answer when my attention was drawn elsewhere. In the distance I heard what sounded like someone calling out to me. Just as this faded away it became much louder as they yelled my name once rather than simply calling it. Looking to the entrance I saw Violet looking about the room. After getting such a wonderful meal from her I wasn't about to leave her waiting longer than she already had.

"Morning Violet." I stopped my leaps and bounds in front of her, only startling her a little since she couldn't have not heard me coming towards her. "Thanks for that breakfast, it was delectable." Even running up suddenly I greeted her just as normally as a passing day. 'I'm just not much for being loud unless necessary, I don't need to be raising my voice at people when they're within normal ear shot.'

"Good morning to you as well Stratus, and I'm very glad you liked it. It was just awful of me to forget about you like that last night." She looked really upset about it, to which my heart felt great knowing someone cared that much.

I just gave her the okay sign and said not to worry about it. "I would have likely missed it anyway with all that was going on yesterday. My mind was hardly on food either." Looking back into the room I glanced over the still lush trees, their canopy of leaves shifting slightly with the artificial breeze that flowed through the area. 'It really is rather nice in here, I wouldn't mind having a place like this as a room for myself even.' I could easily imagine me landing in a lot of money and having a room like this built as my personal sleeping quarters. I'd just pitch a tent in here and call it good. 'Maybe even just sleep under the stars in a sleeping bag, who needs a tent in a controlled climate.'

She looked relieved to see I wasn't mad at her. "You seem in much higher spirits today. I told you this place was nice, didn't I?" She giggled as I nodded my head agreeably to her. "Oh, I came to get you since you some paper work filled out for where you'll be going."

"Paper work? Where I'm going?" This was odd, I didn't figure I'd be shipped off to a place this soon.

"Information on you basically. They just need to compile some for you and also figure out if you wanted to go to a ranch or to a family." She turned and beckoned me through the doorway.

'That makes sense.' I couldn't help but think if I would have bothered to stop if it hadn't made sense. Not as though it mattered one way or another. 'If it wasn't logical would I not go with her or question it?' I was exasperated with my rampant thoughts when they pointed things out needlessly. Taking pace behind the pink pokemon back through the door way, I heard the doors slide shut behind me.

"Ah, there he is. Thanks for the help chansey." It was a young male voice I hadn't heard yet. Rolling my head to the side I saw a late teen, red haired and freckled, youth standing by the console. He was in a casual set of clothes with a white lab coat over the top of his jeans and green T-shirt. He didn't strike me as the type to be a scientist so I figured it was just a work uniform kind of thing, like how mechanics wore overalls.

She must know that he doesn't understand her but she replied to him all the same. "It's alright, ask me for help anytime Mark!" She beamed up at him before turning back to me, "This young man is going to take you to the head wildlife specialist in this facility. He's a little unsure of himself but try not to worry about his lack of confidence. He's here learning from Fairbanks right now." I just nodded and she bid us farewell.

Turning to Mark I just stood there on my hind legs waiting for him to make the first move. I was half expecting him to pick me up like everyone else had been, "Alright, the room is just a little ways down here okay?" He hesitated a moment before adding, "You can walk it right? I don't need to pick you up and carry you do I?" I realized this could be taken as an insult and had to laugh slightly at his poor social skills.

Shaking my head, I made as though to fall in tow with him if he were to start moving. He looked a little relieved, 'I guess he doesn't like carrying pokemon around, Or maybe he's afraid I'd shock him if he did something wrong. I'll bet he's had some bad experiences here.' Starting down the hall he glanced back to make sure I was following, confirming that I was, he picked up his slow pace to a more sure speed. It felt great to be walking down the hallway unassisted like this. Mark may not know it, but he's given me back a sense of dignity and respect with his distant attitude. I was walking by his side as an equal rather than being carried about, something you desire but never realize how much you appreciate until you're high and dry. Though I begrudgingly acknowledged the portion that had in fact wanted to be carried.

Now when we passed by a few rooms here and there I was so low to the ground I couldn't see anything at all. We passed by a poster detailing the pokemon center safety rules and I paused for a second to stare at it. 'Can I still read or have I lost that ability?' I should have been worried about this but until now it hadn't even come up. Looking up at the far over my head safety poster, I found I was able to read the title and a few of the bulleted sub titles. The others were in a finer print that I couldn't focus on at this angle. It was with a relieved sigh that I continued after Mark's receding form.

'At least that's one less issue I would potentially have to deal with. I'll have to be careful also though, pokemon aren't typically literate like that.' I wasn't sure if I could accurately fake being unable to read though, as much as it would be a good idea. It was just such a basic and natural reaction to read things and use the information accordingly. 'Even something so simple as an arrow with the word "Cafeteria" above it could be my downfall if I don't stay on my toes about it.'

'Wait, how would that be my downfall? Am I not going to tell anyone here I was a human?' I hadn't thought of this scenario as of yet so I wasn't sure where my assumption that I'd remain silent again had come from. Upon rehashing my previous plan and considering it once again, I realized exactly what had happened. 'I've lost all trust in nurse Joy and chansey...' I felt bad about it, thinking they really didn't deserve this, but it was how I regarded them now.

'They're nice people but I just don't feel like their best interests in me are reliable for when it comes to my best interests for myself.' I could easily see different situations pan out where they simply assumed I'd gone mad and sought psychiatric help for me or other things upon these lines. 'I guess I'm a little bitter about the other day with that whole pokeball incident. Maybe after awhile I'll trust them again, but...' I left it at that, the bridge was burned as far as I was concerned.

While left to my musings I found we'd come upon what I assumed was our destination. It was a plain door as all the others had been for the most part, with a simple plaque stating the name "Fairbanks" upon the front of it. Mark opened the door and courtesied that I should go ahead of him. Stepping into the room was like crossing a threshold of professionalism to casual familiarity. Unlike the rest of the facility, this room was in a less than pristine condition.

Papers were strewn haphazardly about the various counter tops, someones lunch was even left half eaten near the computer. I balked a bit at the scene, having expected something very different. 'I guess not all these people are clean freaks. They're not a medical branch of the facility so they can probably get away with it.' There were various instruments about the room and a counter that covered the whole left side. There weren't any beakers or test tubes out and about though for the most part so that put me more at ease. 'I really am paranoid of scientists it seems.' A windowed door on the opposite wall of where we'd entered opened, revealing an older man wiping a pair of spectacles down with a handkerchief.

Mark closed the door behind us and greeted the new entrant, "I'm back." I stayed where I was in front of my door as he walked over to the computer desk and picked up a clipboard. "This is a standard pedigree right?" Rifling through some papers, he looked like he was searching for a specific form.

The other man finished with his glasses and placed them over his light hazel eyes. "Yes, it should be a standard unknown pedigree. He's wild so there aren't any others to pull data from to follow his parents line or any such thing." Looking away from his under study the man walked my way a bit to stop a few feet in front of me before crouching down. "Well now, you're the pikachu that's been making such waves are you? My name is Fairbanks. I'm sure you've heard them saying as much so far though."

'Making waves?' I was confused as to what he could mean and began to dwell on it as the man pat my head for a moment before picking me up. He must have noticed my confusion or he simply liked to state things out loud, "A feral pikachu helps out a young enforcer then knows how to understand people. It's not very often a pokemon like that turns up. Not that you're setting off bells or anything of course," He laughed a bit, as if to ward off any anxiety I may be feeling at this announcement, "You're an oddity is all. Of course, I'm sure miss Ramone would find any excuse to talk to me at length." He was smiling more to himself at this point, so I was left wondering what personal interlude was going on between those two.

Mark looked like he wanted to comment but coughed into his hand instead, pulling a sheet of paper out from underneath the others to clamp onto the top of his utensil. "So we... gather a sample from him and put it through the computer right?" It was rather obvious that he was still green to the whole process. 'Well, that's what you go into apprenticeships like this for, to get better.'

Fairbanks caught my uneasy feeling and apologized for the youth, "Don't worry about him, he just came in a couple weeks ago so he's not comfortable with the scene is just yet." 'Yes, so I've been told.' I was bemused that every person I'd been around with the red head had mentioned this so far, never mind that it'd only been two so far.

He'd placed me atop what was likely the only uncovered spot on the counter and was reaching into a drawer nearby. "Now, this will sting for a second but it won't really hurt none. I'm just collecting a drop of blood so we can pull up some information on you alright?" Nodding my head I let him pull my arm out a bit and use what looked like a small rectangular box on my paw. A sharp sting passed through my appendage, causing me to jerk my arm back from the man reflexively. "That wasn't so bad now was it? Here you go Mark, I assume you remember which program to use?"

Taking the flat box from the man the youth nodded slightly, looking unsure of himself once again. Looking around the room once again I tried to take stock of the situation for future possibilities. There was in fact a window but it was closed. The near winter air was likely too cold for either of the men to chill the room with. One possible plan played out for me, 'I could raise the heater sometime and then they'll eventually open it to cool down, thus I make my escape from the newly opened exit.' I thought up several other scenario's but shelved them for later possible use.

The room had a linoleum floor, despite feeling like an office where you'd expect to see carpet. The blue painted walls gave it a much more mellow feel than the high strung white that covered every other surface outside. There were various posters depicting different biological specifications of the different pokemon types and even skeletal diagrams of the three starter pokemon for the Kanto region. Glancing outside the window I saw to edge of an impressive fountain just past a nicely kept hedge.

Something pulling at my tail and ears drew my attention back from my surroundings. Fairbanks had taken to examining me closely at this point, with a small flashlight in hand even. He was looking in all the nooks and cranny's of my various limbs, as well as carefully going over and through my fur. I was a bit ruffled at this lack of personal space but had gotten used to it over the last couple of days. Like with every other uncomfortable thing in my life, I just told myself to endure it until it was over. 'It's worked for me so far anyway.'

"No abnormalities in the fur texture and shape, nor pigmentation. Hmm, everything seems to check as standard." He stepped back from me to get a a larger view while stroking his chin in thought, "Except maybe being a couple pounds under weight, whether this is a genetic or nutritional issue is inconclusive. He's also very quiet, not sure if it's just personality or truama." I gave him a look for talking like I wasn't present to which he just chuckled softly, giving me an apology.

'Is this some kind of a "You're scrawny" crux I'm going to have to bear my whole life or what? I really hope this isn't obvious to everyone, they're making me feel uncomfortable about my weight for the first time in my life.' I didn't feel thin or weak but maybe I was missing something here. Was I just less chubby than most pikachu's or did I just have less muscle? Not sure of either one, I just ignored the whole thing, 'Little I can do to change this body or I'd be human already anyway.'

Some "beeping" and "whirring" noises drew our attention to the computer. Mark had set it upon reading my sample and the older learned individual paced over to his desk to take what was likely his familiar seat upon it's cushioned surface. Seeing him sitting in the black computer chair, I was reminded of a soap opera my Mother used to watch involving an aging doctor with his family falling into crisis around him. 'There's one thing I'll never understand.' I wasn't sure why this idle thought had turned up but I swiftly banished it. Of all the things I'd like to spend time thinking on, this was far from one of them. His assistant busied himself at another part of my counter. It looked like he was digging for a pen or something, each time he pulled one out he'd test it before throwing it away with mild frustration.

After a time, the console settled down and the doctor, I think he is anyway, went about clicking and checking whatever it was he did. Fairbanks looked up from his console to look at me for a moment before glancing again at his read outs. "Well I'll be, aren't you a special pikachu... Come look at this Mark." The assistant made his way over to the older man's computer, taking each step slowly as though expecting a trap of some form.

When he looked over Fairbank's shoulder and leaned in a bit he finally managed to get out a guess, "Uhh... it's his DNA right?" The young man's mentor just stared at him, requesting he continue. Mark looked dumbly at him though, instead of saying anything else.

The older man stroked his graying mane for a moment, letting out a long withdrawn sigh. When he finished he brought his finger to the screen to point out something I wasn't privy to with my angle. What followed was a slew of jargon that sent me reeling from just trying to hear let alone conceive. Somewhere in there I was able to make out, "...need to know due to pokemon breeders... you can tell the lineage by the... you should know that different species leave 'finger prints' on the strain... make sure to read up on the effects of cross breeding after today's shift... So what conclusion can you draw from this reading?"

Mark had nodded his head and attempted to follow him along as best he could throughout the man's speech. I don't think he followed along perfectly either but it irked me to know I was likely the most confused one in the room at this moment. 'I've never been the clueless person of any group when it comes to knowledge.' I knew I wasn't a genius or anything, but I wouldn't consider myself a regular light bulb either. This was a new sense of inadequacy I was unfamiliar with, and I loathed it instantly. I didn't like how arrogant I felt thinking like this, but I took pride in my intelligence, it was one of my strong points.

The student hesitated to answer the man but eventually let out a shaky conclusion, "He doesn't have any genetic 'finger prints' that I can see.. so he's pure pikachu?"

Fairbanks gave the poor boy a smile and nodded his head. The man would have liked his charge to be quicker on the ball, no doubt, but was glad he had reached this conclusion eventually all the same. "That's right and it's an extremely sought after trait by all serious breeders. I realize it's not the subject your going into, but I'll be expecting you to have at least a basic knowledge of this before your term here is up. I will be testing you on it of course."

'I hadn't even thought of that.' I knew pokemon breeders were a high class group of pokemon entrepreneurs, but I didn't think much about the specifics. 'With cross breeding, I guess it makes sense that pokemon would have "mixed" blood.' Since She(?) changed me into a pikachu, I doubt she'd have bothered to add any of that muddled or "ancestral DNA." 'She probably just made me straight into a pikachu, using a normal DNA strain of the species.' I wasn't sure how pokemon genetics worked in any way really, the whole topic was in a much higher biology class than I had taken, since it's a college level subject. They explained what DNA was, and it's functions of course, but just an overview rather than an in depth look.

A sense of pride at being such a rare specimen rose in me but was quickly faltered as I realized that meant they'd be after my genes. Luckily, I had a choice between a ranch and a family, and they wouldn't force me to have children, as stated already. 'I can just feign wanting to wait before having children or the like. No doubt my adoptive family will receive offers and can mull over them for a time, in which case I'll be long gone before then.' I really didn't see it as a major concern, I've never had a problem with hormones in anyway and had complete confidence that even if instincts kicked in I'd remain strong.

'I guess I'm a bit of a romantic, I don't want to just have flings like my brother does. I want my first time to actually matter and be with someone important to me.' I had a lot of years ahead of me, in either form, rushing something so important as that seemed silly to me. 'Of course, not like I'd given myself a chance to look at all whilst running around in the forest every waking moment.' It felt as though I'd missed out on something important because of this and resolved to make up for lost time when I was able.

After this interlude they seemed to have gotten what they needed from me being present, so I was led back to my "compound" as it were. Seeing the assistant using a key card to open the door once again I thought on the need for such a level of security. 'No doubt to both protect children from wandering into a zone with semi untrained pokemon as well as mild protection from pokemon thieves. I doubt it would be very good for trained pokemon to wonder about the hospital or get lost in town while their trainers are keeping them here either.' It was still unsettling to know I was under lock and key still, even if it wasn't with a malicious intent. It was like I had been stripped of that open freedom I had so unknowingly enjoyed, even as a child roaming the open fields of my homeland.

END Chapter 19 - Unwelcome Findings

Parting Author Note: Yay! The 100,000 word mark! Thanks for all the reviews and continued interest in the story. I made this chapter extra long to commemorate this occasion, which is why it took longer than normal. I've definitely slowed down some when it comes to writing this though. I think my wanting commit to other forms of entertainment has caught up to me. I won't promise daily updates anymore, since I'm obviously not going to be delivering that again anytime soon.

While thinking of the whole wild-to-home process that a pokemon would likely have to go through, I thought of how adoption agencies list the parents and 'breed' of animals and thought of how pokemon cross breeding would affect this kind of thing. Since pokemon seem like dogs in how they can cross breed so long as they are similar enough to do it. It made sense to me that, realistically speaking, there would be traits and 'pure' blooded pokemon that people would be after here just as they are in real life. Coming to this conclusion, I figured Jek would in fact be a pure pikachu since She(?) would have to actually go out of her way to make some faked DNA ancestry otherwise after all, and I didn't see her bothering with that kind of meaningless(to her) effort.

Till next time y'all! Ride Silver, ride! Yee Haw!


	21. Effort Unsuccessful

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: I hit my first bit of writers block, hopefully it doesn't persist. I'd forgotten how crappy it is. I have the entire story planned out but for some reason I just couldn't write at all. Sorry for the wait folks.

I figured some may be confused as to the DNA breeding thing and that's fine. It's a new innovation I'm adding to the category(That I know of, I haven't seen it anywhere as of yet. Though I haven't read all of the pokemon stories either... I've mentioned this before no?). However, as stated in my profile, in this first person PoV story I'm avoiding omniscient readers for the most part, so if I can't explain it in the story then I'm not worth my salt. All you confused folks, and all those whom are curious as to the specific details, will have to wait for clarification as it comes up later on.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 20 - Unsuccessful Effort

The sun was passing midday in a gray filled sky as I traveled to my self-designated living area. The lush grass breathed life into me as I trotted along, tiresome woes easing away. The flowers that littered the area left a sweet scent of spring in the air, one that hadn't been present outdoors where the world wasn't preserved in this perpetual state. It was a still life scene whose experience was granted to me. I felt fortunate, if anything, that I had been graced with this place as I had. 'I'm convinced that I'll be human before winter is out, so this is a scene I won't experience like this.'

Nearing the water front of the crystal clear water, my paws stepped onto wet grass trailing from the pond towards the center of the area. 'Looks like someone went for a swim.' The grass clung annoyingly to the pads of my back and fore paws and I forced myself to ignore it. 'Every time my feet, my hands also... my "paws" got wet things cling to them incessantly, trying to clean them while they're still damp is futile and just makes things worse. This really gets annoying.' I missed having shoes, but the feel of the earth under my limbs surfaces, the grass brushing past my paws with each step, felt nice also. 'Clothes were used to separate us from the elements, I don't have any such protection now. I feel like I'm a lot more in tune with the land now than I had been before though, so a silver lining for that cloud at least.' I grinned at this wry thought, amused by the novelty.

Thinking about clean appendages I glanced down upon my arms for a moment to take stock of my cleanliness. 'No good, I'm already oily and gritty again. I haven't even been rolling o nthe ground or anything either... It seems that simply rinsing myself off isn't going to be at all effective.' I momentarily missed the constant grooming I'd received from the others when I'd first awoken before now, but I didn't like being dependent on others for basic needs. 'It had been nice though...' I couldn't shake off the longing and felt my self going into a bit of a haze with my wandering thoughts, so shaking my head, I changed my direction to the water source.

I waved at the few belsprout that were planted in the shore a ways from me but wasn't given acknowledgment. 'I'm sure they're in a world of they're own, enjoying the sun right now.' I couldn't blame them either. With the smooth refreshing water reflecting what of the sun that shone through the clouds, they're likely in a state of bliss at the moment. 'Especially since they don't have to worry about anything attacking them.' That was definitely a nice feeling. At the colony it wasn't a problem but since I'd left it I always had a under riding sense of vulnerability. Here, it was mostly muted as well. Not completely gone, but it's bite had been removed.

Shoving myself into the depths once more I was hit briefly with the chill before I quickly adapted to it. It was strange swimming with fur, it was almost like I still had clothes on if it wasn't for me feeling being intimately aware of what continuously happens to it. 'Just swimming isn't going to help me get clean though, I need to figure something out even if I end up gnawing my fur off.' Diving down some I returned back to the shallow shore area to begin my task.

It wasn't very productive just nipping at my fur and such while trying to rub out grime. I tried to duplicate how it had felt when Nimbus had been doing it but it was definitely not as easy as it looked. After my fore arm I had reached my arm pit and stopped cold. 'I want to be clean but... that's just going to far.' I knew that they would lick their paw and wipe it at the hard to reach areas but I wasn't exactly sure how that worked. 'I'd probably still taste this area if I did that also, so it wouldn't help anyway.'

After a moment of staring I just tried to finish the other area's that weren't disagreeable and instead decided to just rinse and scrub this spot for the time being. "I don't know how they bring themselves to do those area's. Maybe you get used to it after a time but... ugh, no thanks.'

When I had finished with my upper torso and the tops of my feet, I refused to lick out the grime on the bottom of my padded feet, I reached another issue. 'I can't very well reach my head and ears...' Licking my hand until I was satisfied that it could do the trick I began to try and reach my head with the slimy appendage. The whole endeavor made me feel dirtier than when I had begun and I was more than happy to rinse the offensive liquid from me as soon as possible.

Finally receding from the water, completely drenched from prolonged exposure to the liquid, I shook myself violently. 'I really hate how I poof up after swimming.' It was difficult to smooth out all of my angry on end fur, the whole of my body being in this state. I could see myself having a streak going up my back from where my arms just couldn't reach around very well, even when I twisted myself oddly at the torso. Doing this made me think of the differences in this bodies dynamics compared to what I had grown up used to having and being able to do. 'I bet I could scratch my ear with my foot if I wanted to, now that would be an interesting nervous habit to have.' I chuckled quietly, having made light of a recent development that had me concerned.

Looking upon the finished product of my endeavors I couldn't help smiling, 'Not perfect but definitely a lot better.' My tail wagging had me quickly changing my attention to it, attempting to stop it's movements. Having such a tell sign for how I was feeling, and the fact that it seemingly didn't obey conscious thoughts yet, had me irritated with the appendage. 'Not to mention all the imagery and association with tail wagging when it comes to people, I don't want a cute pet image if I can avoid it.' I knew how I'd felt upon seeing our pets tail wag and how others reacted as well. It was all fine and good when it was him, but thinking of myself being in that kind of spot had me preemptively embarrassed. After a short time my task proved futile and I let the issue be.

Before I had a moment to think of what I might do next I almost fell over from a horrible stench that wafted my way. 'What on earth could this stench possibly be!?' I was grasping at my face and desperately trying to ease the burning it felt along with the tears that were beginning to run down my face. Looking about the area with my watery vision I tried to glimpse what could be causing this offensive odor. The shock of red and blue coming towards the water front gave me a shock of realization. 'Was I so deep in thought this morning that I didn't notice the smell this morning!?'

The gloom was waddling his way slowly over to the side of the pond just a stones throw from me. My nose and mind were screaming in pain and I wanted to gag, throw up, and pass out all at the same time, but instead I stood there stock still staring ahead at the plant pokemon. Never before in my life would I have deemed it possible to smell something so awful.

I had come across gloom when I was out and about the year prior, but after covering my nose with a wet cloth was able to handle it for the most part, as long as I didn't get to close to them. Never before had they smelled so strongly as this however, and it left me cursing this heightened survival sense of smell I wielded now.

The gloom only splashed himself a bit and seemed to rinse his mouth out for a second, the nectar drool quickly replacing itself before he turned back the way he'd come. Pausing for a sec he waved my way and seemed about to say a greeting when my frozen pain was noted. He instead turned and left the area rather sadly and I was left feeling sympathetic to the seemingly lonely creature for a moment. This was all noted in the background of the overwhelming pain of course.

By now I'd closed my eyes and was trying to steady my breath as my senses started to ease themselves back from their shock. My nose was running and I wiped viciously at the escaping liquid. 'That's not a pleasant feeling, having snot in my fur.' Aside from the encounter just now I was mildly irritated at having my once clean pelt being dirtied so quickly. Hobbling back to the water, I tried to finish collecting myself as I rinsed the offending substance out.

"Quite troublesome isn't it?" My head whipped to the voice's origin so quickly the world spun in my view and it took a moment for my vision to catch up with its sudden motion. Before me sat an amused eevee, one eyebrow raised, staring at me. I returned his stare with a blank look of my own upon seeing this new individual. After a moment he seemed uncomfortable with the looking and tried to break the ice between us, "That looked like the first time you've come across a gloom. Didn't see much of them from where you're from?"

'Another eevee? I'm starting to question this species rareness. In the span of a month I've seen four of them in various manners. Did I just not look hard enough when I was human or do pokemon in general have this kind of luck when it comes to stuff like this?' He'd started to wave his paw in front of me and I broke out of my trance for a moment. "Huh? Oh yes, I haven't come across any so close as that like this yet."

"With how young you are it makes sense I suppose. Your herd would keep you well away from such poisonous species." He was nodding to himself now, eyes closed.

"I'm not that young, I just hadn't come across one is all. Who are you by the way? You seem to know about me well enough..." I didn't like how he was talking down to me regarding my age. Though I knew I had just been a pichu a short time ago and so these folks would see me as a just aged young adult, and thus they had to base they knowledge on this instead of my actual age. 'Not that I was old as a human either. He could be a twenty-four year old talking down to me when I was sixteen

"Oh, sorry there Stratus. My name is Hail and I've been issued as your case worker by miss Starestcilis. To provide you with information and assistance during this lifestyle transition." He gave a small bow at the end of his practiced introductory speech. I was left staring at him for multiple reasons. "As for that gloom, you won't have to worry for very long. His trainer dropped him and a dugtrio off for the day while he's visiting a family member on the staff. No doubt they'll be gone before the night is over. We don't typically allow such types into this room, but... well you know how favoritism goes. His aunt being on the staff and all." He gave a sour face at this, looking off to the side.

'Miss Stares..lis? I can't blame those kids for not getting that name at all, I may have to call her Star myself. That comment on the gloom almost felt prejudice... maybe I'm missing something though.' I chose not to comment on that particular venue just yet. 'I don't have anything against the gloom, I just couldn't handle them yet. He seemed nice enough.' I still felt bad for being so discomforted while he'd waved at me, being unable to do anything other than clutch my face. Hail? That's an odd name for an eevee to have, or any pokemon that's not a water nor ice element type. "Sorry if it's rude, but how did you get the name Hail? Planning to evolve into an ice type I take it?"

He didn't seem surprised at all that this was the fist indulgence of my curiosity and replied while shaking his head. "My mother was a bit of an overzealous glaceon. I'm sure you've figured out the path she wanted me to follow." It must have been a rather troublesome thing for him to go through growing up, but he seemed to be dealing with it in a jovial manner regardless. 'I doubt any would like having such an assumption of their future forced on them like that.'

"I'm not sure I follow entirely as to what you mean by my case worker." I had a good idea what he was supposed to do for his trainer but didn't want to seem to well informed. I'd slipped up in that direction a few too many times already. 'It's actually rather clever to have a pokemon partner bridge that gap between pokemon and humans to work with a feral pokemon on the verge of domestication.'

"Ah, Violet said you knew some things but I guess it was limited." He'd tilted his head side ways slightly, as though disappointed that I was unable to operate on a level he'd been expecting. This statement had irritated me deeply, 'I didn't know playing the fool would sting my pride in such a way. It really does seem like I've gained an arrogant disposition during my time away from intellectual conversations and just about anyone that could talk to me in general on a social knowledge level.'

I'd been clueless at the pichu colony, but I had the crutch of amnesia to fall back on for not knowing what seemed like simple things to them. Here, in my heart I knew many answers but had to hold the story of my origins to a level of credibility. 'Ones history is a lot more focused on here than in the wild also, and holds a great risk.'

He continued on, oblivious to my grimace, "It's simple really, I'm just going to teach you about some things involving how humans live and how you'll be co-existing with them. They lead very different lives and it can be very confusing at first. I'm here to preemptively dispel some of that confusion."

"Ah, that is pretty simple then." I gave a nonchalant tone as I made this comment, down playing the importance and level of ability such a job would require of someone. I felt bad after saying it, but a part of me wanted to get back at this eevee. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way. 'He's only doing his job, I shouldn't belittle him like that... Even if he did so to me several times in the couple of moments since we've met. Though he could have just been talking and I was looking too deeply between the words.'

He looked upset for a moment at my statement but in a well practiced move from experience in "people relations" let it slip as he resumed an easy going expression. "We'll try and keep it that way, wouldn't want to give you more than you could handle or anything." He was smiling cheerfully, but inside I knew he had to be grinning.

'There's no way people word things like on accident.' I too was outwardly smiling, but inside I was almost frothing at the mouth. "Thanks for that, I think I'll be fine though." I could have given him another snarky reply but decided to be the mature one and cease this verbal conflict. "Where do we sta-"

"Stratus!" A high pitched voice called out to me from the distance. Looking towards the call of my name found two minun bounding my way once more. They both stopped just short of me though and stared at Hail with a sour look. DC almost stuck his tongue out even, but when he started to his brother pulled on his ear causing him to cease the action.

"I see Pearl let you two go then?" Hail didn't look particularly happy to see them either, obviously the trio didn't get along very well.

I just looked between them as the tension steadily began to grow. I was almost chuckling nervously seeing the look of guarded determination upon the minuns faces while being stared down by and apathetic faced eevee. If this was one of those old movies about the desert frontier, when a pokemon showdown was about to begin, I was sure I'd see a tumbleweed drift by at this point.

AC was the one to finally break the built apprehension, "We spent the morning with her and she had other pokemon to speak with today. So she brought us back here." This was anything but the happy going minun I felt I knew.

"I see she took a moment to bathe you properly." He'd glanced at DC, whom I hadn't noticed was as clean as his brother. 'I guess I was just telling them apart like I had Stratus and Nimbus. Minor differences in expression and how they seem to my senses.'

His brother didn't bother to stop him from sticking his tongue out at the eevee this time. Hail looked unamused, but I didn't figure that sort of thing would go over well with many people. I jumped in before the situation could escalate any further. "I was wondering where you two had gone off to. Who's this Pearl you were with?" I gave them my biggest smile and looked genuinely interested in this information about them, which I was.

Immediately pulled out of their guarded state their expressions changed when they looked to me. They were still stealing glances and seeming wary of the other mammal, but for the most part ignored him entirely.

Nodding his head at me, AC's earlier excitement made a come back, "Pearl is a wartortle! She takes us swimming and playing and-" AC stopped to take a breath, which surprised me. It felt like they'd said much more than that before without needing to refill their lungs. 'I hope he's not so excited as to send himself hyperventilating.' I wouldn't put it past either of the mouse pokemon though.

DC cut him off, proving his need to stop was in fact a weakness between the two of them, "We told her what you'd said about Mount Moon so she was showing us pictures today! It was so cool! Did you really live in that area? It must have been-" He was forced to stop as his brother began to pull on his ear sharply.

"So great to be out there like that. Won't you take us please? We'll be good I promise!" I didn't bother stopping the chuckle at seeing AC's pouting face whilst his brother was flailing at him as he pulled on DC's ear.

"Ah well... you see..." I was scratching at my ear again, much to my chagrin, and forcefully removed my hand from the spot. I had to keep focusing on the arm to make sure it didn't return to it's longed for location. For some reason I really didn't want to let these two down. I really liked how they regarded me and didn't want to jeopardize my place as that "cool older electric mouse" they seemed to hold me in. "I.. well... err-"

I was saved from letting them down with denial by Hail, "Stratus is actually learning how to live with humans, so him taking you out on a woodland excursion isn't really a possibility." Though I was glad to have dodged a bullet, I didn't like how painfully he'd dropped this information upon them.

The brothers didn't seem to appreciate his sentiment either. "Stratus could take us. He's really strong and knows all about the woods he does." I hadn't even thought the brothers were capable of glaring but there it was. 'It's like seeing a purple farfetch'd... Exactly what happened between these three to make them like this?' Though I held no great love for Hail, our first meeting having been a poor one thus far, I certainly didn't think he was worthy of such dislike.

I was pulled, literally, from my musings when the two brothers had somehow managed to come to me, grab a hold of my arms, then started to drag me away from the pond and case worker. "Come on Stratus! I want to show you our rock!"

"Ya it's great. Imbetween a stream and next to a waterfall. There's the shiny wall next to it also!" 'I'd forgotten about that mirror...' They were smiling again at least. I didn't feel I was set to part with Hail just yet however and started to stand my ground between the twin assault. I only managed to slip upon wet grass and was sent stumbling before planting myself on the ground.

The two brothers had let me go and were in front of me looking worried that they had upset me with this action. Before they could claim any apologies I smiled and gave a laugh, "This is no good, I'd just cleaned up even." I stood myself up and began to pick the grass out of my fur, grimacing at the mud that had found a home on me as well.

"Sorry Stratus... Did you want to impress Violet also?" DC was looking at me despondently as he said this, as though he'd troubled me greatly. 'I suppose it is bothersome, but not that bad. Children do exaggerate things beyond what they are I suppose.'

"Violet? No, I just tried to get clean is all. No worries you two, this sort of thing happens." They looked confused that I would try to get clean without having an underlying reason like that, but I wasn't very surprised at this. 'They'll value being clean when they're older I'm sure.'

"You'd just bathed? I'll have to cover that too than it looks like, here I thought you'd just gone running again like this morning." I almost felt my eye twitch as the eevee said this from behind me, almost. I could imagine him waving his hand in front of his nose as he said this also.

'Wait, how did he know I was running this morning? Are there camera's in here? Wait, yes... that makes sense.' "Oh Hail, you can bathe me any time..." I left my statement hanging as I gave him a quirked eyebrow. 'Two can play this game of wit and cynicism if that's how you want it to be.'

I was anything but disappointed as he gave a disquieted look of momentary horror before he realized I was poking fun at him and he regained a sour look. 'Oh yes, we'll get along fine I'm sure.' I turned back to my dirtied chest and began to work the filth out as best I could. 'I'll have to take another swim no doubt.' I inwardly sighed at this thought.

"Look look!" AC was hopping up and down pointing to the overhead see through window that acted as a roof for the area. I was busy trying to get the dirt out of my chest fur when I heard his brother gasping and hollering his own exclamation of surprise.

"Well I'll be..." Hail muttered his own surprise when he, presumably, saw what the twins were so excited about. Finishing my first priority, I turned to follow their line of sight and gave a gasp of my own. It held a tint of fear unlike theirs.

END Chapter 20 - Unsuccessful Effort

Parting Author Note: I've been missing a lot of the characters I've made thus far. I'm doing my best for every character to have a 'soul', as it were, the more Jek gets to know them. Just as with any person you meet, the less you know of them the less interesting and more 'cookie cutter' a person seems, while if you get to know them you find them to be unique and interesting. So I feel like I'm physically hurting myself every time I seemingly leave a character behind due to the plot progressing past them. I've been tempted to write a couple chapters on some of them but felt it would just hurt me more than leaving them be for the time, if not indefinitely depending on the individual.

No yee haws, I miss the my beloved characters. I'll be crying over here if you need me... they were so cool... why? WHY!? Noooo... nooooooo.... ; ;


	22. TT Survival

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: The next installment of Trek's venture.

Had a large number of things deter my writing process, laziness and writers block amongst them. I spent the last month and a half being entertained rather than doing any entertaining is the most prudent way to put it. Needless to say, I'm disappointed that I let it sit for so long and will be trying to make up for lost time.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Trek's Tale - Survival

It had only been a week and I was already regretting my decision. The thought of leaving wouldn't have occurred to me if I had foreseen this turn of events. "Perhaps I should be glad for that." I shook my head slightly as I realized I had done it once again. I'd taken to talking to myself at times. 'It'll get me killed more than likely, making noise is the worst way to go about avoiding predators.' I was all alone out here now, the only one watching my back, that I could rely on, was me. Every other creature around me cared only for their own survival, either ignoring me, preparing to protect their territory, or to end my life to preserve their own. It suited me just fine in a way, I didn't particularly care for them either.

'This kind of solitude, I'm not ready for it.' Having been surrounded by family and peers my entire life, This was a completely foreign and alien situation. The vast absence of these figures, from my decision to take this journey, left my mind reeling from the tide of loneliness that had consumed me. Often my thoughts drifted back to my closer family members, often jerking myself back to the now before I lamented to greatly. 'I didn't even say farewell to mother. I knew she would have tried to stop me so I didn't... but I should have... The last time I saw her she was giving me sad eyes as she left the den that morning.'

A shudder passed through me, literally shaking me from my thoughts of home. Blowing some of the frost that clung to my nose away I gave myself a firm shake to remove as much of the clinging flakes of snow that I could. 'The snow came far too early this year.' Coolly looking about the whitened scene I struggled to keep my anger at bay. It was frustrating to have this happen, a sure sign of my own inability to foresee these possible problems. 'This hadn't even occurred to me before I'd left. If I didn't consider this, what else could I have lacked insight to that will or could happen.

Last winter I had still been a new born, I didn't leave the den at all. They'd taught me basic survival skills but none of them really applied to winter. The most I'd been doing is clinging to the innards of the surviving bushes whose foliage were thick enough to blot my yellow fur out. "I hope it does anyway." Glancing out upon the snowy forest floor to my side I discerned that I was indeed still following the tracks. With each passing day they became harder to follow. Only a slight dip in the cover of snow was any indication. Sometimes I even had to go and dig into the snow a bit, uncovering the trenches to confirm my course.

Glancing through my sheltering brambles I glimpsed a frozen berry lying upon the ground, not completely covered in snow yet. 'It's old home must be nearby somewhere.' I looked further past it and was rewarded with a welcomed sight. The bush was across from me and a few iced over fruit still clung to it. When I first found one like this, I quickly realized that the frozen berry's were no good to me. Looking about the bush in vain hopes for an unfrozen one, I managed to find several within' it's depths that remained unfrozen upon the ground. As time wore on, I found less and less of these edible berry's. Either the cold finally seeped into them, or others like me had slowly picked them off over the last few days.

"Just my luck..." There weren't any here that I could find. I wasn't starving yet, but I was conscious of my hunger and where it could lead if I didn't keep myself fed. 'At least I don't have to worry about water.' I'd taken to melting the water with electricity whenever I got thirsty. When I tried it on a few berries they just ended up charred and less than edible.

Leaving the core of the bush I noticed some tracks just ahead of me, going the same way I was. 'So another did come and take off with this bushes produce.' I was upset that I wasn't the first, but didn't hold it against whomever it was that had done it. I was tempted to follow the tracks, they might be hoarding winter supplies, but decided against it. 'Last thing I need to do right now is deviate from this already difficult to follow trail.'

A clump of snow fell from above and landed with a light impact a few feet from me. My ears jerked about listening for a possible offender after this startling break in the monotony. I wasn't disappointed as the sound of flapping wings could be heard above me. I dived away from my position in time to miss a spearow sweeping past the ground I'd stood. I immediately sent out a shock at his exposed back only to hit a tree instead as the predator maneuvered out of the way for cover. The poor plant steam from it's hit but was otherwise unaffected aside from losing it's fur like layer of frozen liquid.

Twisting his bark colored mane to look back at me, he started his second approach. I began to charge an attack, waiting for him to get closer to me before I let it loose. I made the mistake of looking him straight into the eye and received a horrible leer from him that sent shivers down my back. In a fright I let my attack fly too soon and he easily dodged it. I just barely managed to move my wobbly limbs in time to escape his pass with only a clipped shoulder. I could hear him behind me already quickly changing his direction to come back for me.

In an act of desperation I sent out a wide range of uncontrolled electricity, hoping a stray shock will stun him to the ground. A squawk followed by a thump was my reward. I quickly turned around and let a bolt fly to strike true against my opponent. Once the attack had died a blackened bird remained, surrounded by melted snow. It was twitching and I could tell his chest was still rising. I knew I should kill it, lest it come back for me, but just stood there looking at it for a time. "I'd rather just move on and be done with him. It's not like this is my territory where I'll have to worry about another run in with this thing."

I could hear my father and his brother in arms all rebuking me for not removing the predator permanently, but I didn't care at this point. I was miserable and didn't feel like staining my record with some scavengers blood. Turning from the fallen pokemon I quickly beat a retreat in case it had any friends that might turn up at the scene soon. 'I'm lucky my first run in was with a bird. I can see now why father didn't want me to leave as a pichu, I doubt I'd have won that conflict if I was still a child. I knew our lightning was a big deal, but as a pichu I didn't quite grasp just how important it really is.'

I couldn't imagine life, or even a day without full access to my pouches reservoirs of energy now. I felt so powerful with them, as though I could take on any opponent. I didn't let this arrogant feeling consume of sense of judgment however, I had a mission to accomplish and subtlety was the key to it's success. 'I'll rescue Stratus, I promise.'

I think it was just as shocking to my father as it was to me when I evolved during his attack. He had said I could choose my own route as an adult, but when I changed I could see the horror in his eyes. He'd tried to reason with me, convince me to return to the herd but I'd stood fast. We parted with him telling me the next area they'd planned to live at, though he looked to have little faith in my return. 'You're wrong father, I'll survive.'

After a time I had to shake the look of intensity that my eyes had begun to hold, it was beginning to make them irritable from the lack of blinking. Slowing down I paced myself at a less racket inducing speed. I took notice of the deepening darkness. It was always a bit dark with the thick overcast above but the subtle change in light indicated the incoming night. Traveling without any light was a sure way to ask to be hunted. This brought about me seeking a spot to stay the night at. This was a new concept for me, and was trying each time. I'd always had a place to go at night, I never needed to scout one out.

Having tried a cave or two the first couple nights proved itself an error as they were usually occupied and I met with more opposition to my stay than I was willing to risk for a night. Neither was staying outside a good choice, inside of a thick sticker bush being the most preferable, as frigid winds would pick up at times. Even mostly buried by snow to keep my warmth I was still affected. I couldn't rest easy being out in the open either of course, too wary of a possible attack. Thus far, nooks and burrows into the roots of tree's have paid off. I found many that were occupied but always eventually found one to call my own for the night. Many had been vacated after the humans probably made a ruckus coming through here before.

It was my fortune to find one shortly after my search and after a few test shocks to find out if it was occupied or not, I had myself a shelter for the night. This method may be rude but it had saved me thus far. I doubt the family of rattata would have played nice with me if I had asked if it was occupied rather than sending in a shock first. After I hear the startled cries I beat a hasty retreat to continue my search.

'The weird skull lizard that just grunted at being shocked almost got me though. Can't hurt everything with lighting it would seem.' I knew rock types were strong against it, but that brown lizard thing had been flesh. It was mind boggling to me that my attack had such little affect upon it. I tried to forget that particular encounter as I made myself comfortable within the dirt hole I would call home this evening. Small gangly roots hung limply from the ceiling, a sure sign that it had been made some time ago.

Using my pouches to produce a little erratic light, I took a moment to check my shoulder wound. It was bleeding but was a clean cut at least. 'Those spearow have very sharp beaks. I hadn't even felt it except for numb pain after the fact.' It stung as I began cleaning it out after ceasing my electric lighting. "With any luck, that flying rodent won't have transmitted a disease to me. I can't imagine what all they'll eat." Normally I could find an herbal remedy in this event, but I doubted my success with the current season and it's difficulties with plant life.

----------------------------------------

As the first light reached my eye's I snapped awake. It helped that the nights had grown so long, I was far past well rested by the time it was day break in this season. It was much harder to rouse me in the summer I recalled. Sleep was never very restful for me these days. I couldn't fully unwind or let go, a part of me always on edge. I didn't relish the thought of being relaxed out here though, that would likely get me killed.

My shoulder looked a little scuffed up still but was for the most part healed. 'It'll be fine as long as I don't do anything crazy to it today. That's one less worry at least.' Giving my right limb a firm push against the ground, making sure the cut had indeed not effected my muscles. Squinting as the light hit me fully upon my exit I realized the overcast had let up somewhat. It was the first time I'd seen a hint of blue in the last five days, a welcomed sight. 'Maybe this storm is finally letting up.' I didn't put much faith on it due to the seasons beginning but welcomed the break all the same.

I really needed to get something to eat before my hunger grew much more now. With berries out for the most part, I began searching for a more likely target. I quickly scaled an oak tree and began looking around the forest tops for large nut bearing trees. Even with the cold, the nuts I'd found so far were still edible. A small shock fixed there frosty chill, making them more pleasing to the palette. All the nuts and leaves had fallen off the trees already, but often I found a few straggling morsels buried in the snow. It just meant me digging around in the open for awhile, giving possible predators more time to spot me. I had to eat however, so it was a risk I was forced to take. I preferred looking for berries first since I could remain mostly hidden within the bushes at least.

-----------------------------

I was licking the snow from my numbed and chilled paws when I heard the sound of a struggle. My first instinct was to get back to the path and move on, but I let my curiosity get the better of me. I could possibly stand to gain from this situation, it wouldn't be wise to let any opportunity go to waste. Even if it wasn't food or aid, it could be information on some of the other pokemon in the area by way of observation.

Quickly darting to the sounds that had reached me, one of the possible combatants cut out before I reached the location. The high pitched squee's, of what sounded like the butterfree that had attacked me back at the ravine, died out leaving only the enraged cawing to resound throughout the area. 'Another spearow? They seem to be pretty common around here.' I knew they were a rather high population species but was still unused to their presence. My herd had driven them from our forest for the most part, with them staying at their ravine where we left them alone.

With the butterfree likely gone or dead I figured the spearow would quiet down but as I got closer the bird seemed no closer to stopping than it had been before. Reaching my destination finally, I peered out from my cover to witness a rather gruesome sight. A butterfree lay in pieces near my bush while the spearow was flapping and pecking madly against the base of a tree a few feet from the corpse. It looked little worse for wear, obviously slightly affected by whatever spores or poisons the bug had shared with it.

My ears twitched as I heard the faint cries of a child. Without hesitation or thought I was already leaping from my hiding spot, shooting the birds back with a furious shock that would cripple any pokemon. I'd recognized the spearow as the same one from the day before and my mind entered a white haze. I don't recall stopping my attack but I was standing in the small area panting heavily. Sparks still escaped and roved across my face as I stood at ready facing the smoldering corpse in front of me. My mind had shut down completely from the input it had received upon arriving here. This information was too much for me to properly process and digest at this time.

My ears flicked to the side and my gaze snapped to follow them, catching a small caterpie exiting a hole in the tree's roots. With tears streaming down it's face it wiggled over to the dead female's remains. I felt a bit disgusted as it tried to reattach one of her wings. He obviously didn't understand the concept of death just yet, likely born last season. It was rather heartbreaking really, I knew I was seeing innocence being crushed right now but my feelings were numb at the moment. 'Pokemon don't work like that, you can't just stick the pieces back together...'

This was my fault, if I had ended this predator's life the other day this wouldn't have happened. I'd let it live and it went on killing to survive. 'My mercy to let another live only brought about more death. What did I think... it would turn a new leaf and start eating berries and nuts? It has to kill others to eat for survival. It's mere existence means death for other pokemon.' This much was made evident by the insect's blue blood staining the area.

I could barely breath as I stood in front of the caterpie whom was clutching it's mothers wing now. It was weak ragged breaths that escaped me as I was the sole witness to this horrific scene. The poor child was wailing such a cry of unfathomable sadness I barely registered that I was hearing it. My mind couldn't grasp the depth of it's message. 'This sort of thing happens, it's unfortunate but this is the way of life. It's sad but the truth.' I looked at it in a logical manner, perhaps a defensive approach to distance myself from the whole event.

'Without a care giver the child would surely die this winter.' I destroyed a pang from my heart before it grew in strength. 'I can hardly fend for myself out here, let alone with a child of a species I know so little about in tow. It would also undoubtedly slow me down in achieving my goal. This isn't my problem, I can't get involved...'

"I need to think about my own survival first." My ears picked up that I had said this out loud and for a moment I felt shame, fearing the caterpie had heard this remark. They were lost to the world, stuck in a tragic moment however, so I let out a sigh. The last thing I wanted to deal with right now was a frieghtened child. 'Is this how a fighter conducts himself? Would your father do this?' I shook my head trying to rid it of my doubt. 'We have to make tough choices and decisions, it can't be helped.'

So I turned and began to leave the area. The cries echoed behind me and each step began to feel heavier.

'If that's the case, then why does this feel like I'm running away?'

Trek's Tale - Survival

Parting Author Note: It was really difficult to not mention human items in reference while writing this. I had to delete 'carpet' a number of times since I kept wanting to describe the snow that way. I'll have to really get used to thinking from a more primitive individuals perspective to nail those similes and metaphors the next time. This one was him by himself so it was a lot more descriptive and a lot less social/active content wise. I felt it was a bit slow going, but hey, can't all be rip roaring party thrown wild crazy packed happenings. Gotta tell the slow ones along with the faster ones.

I tried looking for a record of butterfree's blood color, but came up short. I just guessed that their blood would be blue(I know peoples blood is blue and it's only red when oxidized. I meant blue when exposed, since that's what I described in the scene). If someone knows the answer to this, if it's other than blue, please PM me so I can update this. It's not critical but I've been trying to keep to the logistics of the world for the most part.

Ciao!


	23. Torpid Reversal

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: About time we got this rolling again eh?

I felt bad that I posted Trek's story when you were all likely waiting/hoping for an update on Jek. It was just required chronologically speaking. You'll notice why after I point out what the cliffhanger was. It was answered in Trek's chapter... was just trying to be artsy. Any who, here's Jek again. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 21 - Torpid Reversal

The last couple weeks passed in a blur that I barely took notice of. I vaguely remember a few things, but I've been too wrapped up in my own thoughts to notice. I think the children gave up on me the other day finally, having been attempting to revive the person they'd first met. Hail had come back the next day but decided he couldn't make any progress while I was unreceptive, assuming I was home sick or such. Though he said it more along the lines that I was in shock from not being surrounded by other similarly dirty forest pokemon.

I knew I was moping about, but I didn't care if the pokemon around here saw me like this or not. 'None of it matters.' It's as though my mind had gotten stuck in a loop, all I could perpetually do was think of that one moment and of the problem that lay before me now. Or better yet, above me through the window. The two minun had been so excited it was like a nail in my heart, hearing them talking so excitably about something that set me back so throughly. This brought me back to the day in question, remembering my shock.

_"Look look!" AC was hopping up and down pointing to the overhead see through window that acted as a roof for the area. I was busy trying to get the dirt out of my chest fur when I heard his brother gasping and hollering his own exclamation of surprise._

_"Well I'll be..." Hail muttered his own surprise when he, presumably, saw what the twins were so excited about. Finishing my first priority, I turned to follow their line of sight and gave a gasp of my own. It held a tint of fear unlike theirs._

_"No..." Gazing upward I saw the tell tale sign of snow as black dots seemed to be drifting from the sky to the above window with lazy ease. I could almost feel my pupils contracting as I was beset with a barrage of new problems and issues created by this event. 'It's not even winter yet! It shouldn't be snowing! How long... how long was I in that damned ball!?' It was unconceivable that it could be snowing to me, this had to be some kind of horrible dream._

'I haven't been out in the woods during a winter yet, I spent the last winter at home. I was planning to get some experience this time, but as a human!' I knew only a little of how to survive during this down time season. Something I'd wanted to correct, but hadn't as of yet. Typically I take a few manuals out into the woods with me and I just follow through them until I needed a break or to be refreshed. That's how I managed to do summer at first, then fall and the spring following a sheltered winter. I was saving winter for last due to it's more difficult and dangerous nature, not feeling comfortable with attempting it yet.

'Now, in the situation that I'm in, going out there like this would be the death of me. I might be able to manage, trying to use my wit and what minimal knowledge I have to survive but the risk went up exponentially with the first flake falling. 'Low food, extreme weather conditions, and desperate predators. There's a reason pokemon typically store food and don't travel during this season. It's the worst time to be a nomad of any kind.'

With this line of thought I recalled the pikachu friends I had made as well. If Raiden did decided to move them as per pikachu nature then they'd be caught in a dangerous situation with the early winter. 'That's assuming nurse Joy was right about pikachu moving after an attack like that, or that Raiden would even follow those kinds of set reactions.' I worried about them, but I couldn't worry to terribly much since I knew how well prepared and led they were. If they were a normal group it could be a problem, but that lot was extremely resourceful.

Having laid under my tree the whole day I decided to at least walk around and stretch my limbs. They were getting sore for disuse today, it wasn't a good thing to be so inactive but I couldn't gather the motivation to exercise. Taking a stroll around this pen was the most I could muster, simply so I'm not uncomfortable as I'd be lying elsewhere later on. 'What productive joys moping about like a child is. I'm solving a number of problems these days.' I couldn't help the bitter thoughts that I held for my recent stance on life, but just because I disliked it didn't mean I was planning to change the issue in anyway.

They'd taken to turning on what lighting was built in the room since little sun shone through the snow filled sky. Nothing looked quite as bright as it had when I'd first arrived. I hated the artificial wind the most. It was just a slight breeze created by a fan somewhere, but it never picked up or slowed down. It was a constant that only mocked the real thing. What was supposed to be chaotic and whimsical was a set variable here, tricking the senses into thinking they were feeling the epitome of freedom only for you to realize it's false.

I paid those around little attention, though I'm sure they've come to expect it. Brushing past the pond and the other couple tree's, I found myself once more at the creek in front of the glass wall. I glanced to the twin's rock to find it unoccupied, 'At least I don't have to feel their disappointment.' I felt bad for giving them the cold shoulder these last few days, but I just couldn't bring myself to be very jovial right now. I didn't mean to hurt them, but I wanted to be alone at the moment. Staring into the stream I saw the beady eyes of a pikachu staring back from a weak reflection. Between low light and the dark shallows it made for a poor mirror.

Hearing a thunk upon the glass nearby caused me and my ears to jerk upright to the location. I didn't see any change but this started the wheels turning in my mind. I hadn't pondered on it since I'd begun moping. 'A thunk? That can only mean there's something on the other side- Of course, it's one of those two way windows!' It felt ridiculously simple now with the answer before me, making me to feel foolish for my delayed insight. 'I've never actually seen one that I know of, especially not from the reverse side.' This felt like a lame excuse but I still used it to partially justify myself.

'It makes sense to have a nice room on display in a showy city like this.' This led me to the thought that I was being watched by visitors and following it was a shame for my recent inactivities. Even if I didn't know the people and I would never hear their words didn't mean I liked being judged as a depressed pikachu or individual. I really didn't like feeling this way, 'I've been saying that a lot these last few days. If it's so shameful and makes me feel bad, why am I still doing it?' It was silly to talk to yourself in this manner but an answer begged to be given. Turning my back to the window I began walking away thinking on this.

'I'm depressed because I'd likely fail if I left now because of winter. Can I do something about that? Am I depressed because I think I can't survive it or because of the wait?' That last piece felt right to me and I halted mid step. 'A three month wait could be almost two and a half years age wise for me. Am I willing to spend that much of my life just waiting for safety?' I was beginning to feel extremely angry over this whole thing, ridiculing myself included. 'Yes, lets run out into the frigid winter and get ourselves frost bitten, eaten, or just plain starve to death.'

It was like two different people were fighting each other in my mind at this point, causing disorientation to myself as my vision became erratic. 'Better that than staying here and being gawked at like something in a zoo!' 'Good things come to those who wait! Slow and steady wins the race.' 'Fortune favors the brave!' 'We saw how well that worked for those pikachu didn't we?' 'At least they tried and lived a little. You'd rather wait and die.' 'In the process of living they got us into this predicament to begin with!' 'Don't blame this on them, you could've run if you'd wanted to... something I'm sure you're good at.' 'It's a set back, but if we hold our ground we can get out of this with minimal damage. Better alive and a little older than dead with no future at all!'

"Enough! I don't refer to myself as we..." I was flustered that I had to say this out loud to stop my rampant thoughts but felt it was necessary. It effectively silenced the two sides I seemed to be teetering on at least. 'Both were good points but the one that stung the most was the cowardice. It hurt because it's true, I've let my logic nurse my fears, but not this time.' I nodded with renewed determination. I could feel a fire being rekindled within me and knew I'd made the right choice.

'Where to begin...' It's not as though I could simply walk out of here. I'll have to wait for a small time till we exit this room at some point. 'A mad break after that could work but would be risky. They'd likely just send me to a ranch if they caught me again, which I could escape from also but it'd take more time and I could end up anywhere.' First thing was first, I wanted to apologize to the minun and Pita for my off behavior. After that, I'd let Violet know I was feeling better when they brought in dinner, thus would restart my processing and open several escape venues for me to pick and choose. 'They'll be better chosen and executed than simply making a mad dash for a random exit with a bunch of onlookers about also.' I gave a derisive snort at this final mental note.

'It'll be tough out there in this season but life is full of adversity, I'll overcome it just fine. Not like I don't have overall experience, and I've read into it some as is.' I started to begin doubting myself all over again when I remembered a crucible factor I'd completely overlooked until now. 'I have access to electrical attacks now! I can create fires on whim, melt snow, attack things... Of course, that'll even up the odds some.' I felt silly for overlooking such a simple, yet important fact, until now. It felt great having wind under my wings again, I've never been one to wallow about and getting back to my old self was a breath of fresh air.

Bounding away from the window portion of the enclosure, I made a direct beeline for Pita's tree. It seemed foolish to be dashing about, but I felt to good to let this energy go to waste. 'Why walk when you can run?' It didn't take me very long to reach the shade cast by the oak tree. Seeing the shade made me recall once more the heat lamps they had on the ceiling here to imitate summer while the cloud was darkened by the weather. Living in the country, I never would have imagined places so technologically advanced existing like this. I had heard about this sort of thing, even a city run and completely operated by computers, but figured they were exaggerated. 'Obviously I was wrong.'

"Pita? Are you around?" I gave a call while circling the base of the tree. After a full loop without catching so much as a glimpse of her I began thinking of where else she could be. 'Surely the twins would know or maybe even Whiplash.' Looking about the area I figured the twins weren't around since I couldn't see hide nor hair of the two, so the pond and a certain bulbasaur was my best bet. The two had seemed like friends at the very least, so it would be doubtful that he wouldn't know her where abouts.

---------------------

"She left." He continued to stare at me with a deadpan expression. Having been around much more expressive people lately left me feeling awkward before the plant lizard. I'd found him standing in the waters shallows conversing with two belsprout and an oddish I hadn't seen before. The normal glare of the sun reflecting off the water all but gone now due to the much weaker lighting.

"You mean, she's not here anymore? Er.. ever? As in, gone somewhere else?" I was caught off guard and had a hard time articulating my inquiry.

"Yes." Again came the short affirmative.

'No, he's not agitated with you, he's just short with answers.' I repeated this to myself a few times before continuing onwards. "Where did she go? When did she leave?"

"To a human place, five days ago." I was beginning to get a bit flustered when another voice pitched in.

"Whiplash, if you weren't so mellow I'd say you enjoy doing that! Don't mind mister, tall, dark, and abrupt here." The oddish had turned from the bulbasaur and started to speak to me in a rather high pitched tone that reminded me of a reed whistle. "Pita got adopted by a family out in the safari to the south she said. You didn't think she was living here forever did you? It's nice here but no one wants to stay here much longer than they have to. I should be out of here soon myself too you know. I hear they have a nice place lined up for me at Celadon City. Oh I can't wait to-"

"That's enough Teal." One of the belsprouts had used a leaf to cover the oddish's rampant speech.

The other belsprout tittered and added, "If you go on much more his ears are likely to come off." Teal looked upset more than ashamed, likely unhappy with having her tirade ended.

"Whatever! You guys just don't know the finer points of having a conversation." The oddish made a sound that was suspiciously close to a snort before departing from the gathering.

"Don't mind her, she just woke up with her leaves in the shade." The belsprout that had covered her mouth was now doing the same for her own as she gave a laugh.

"But Flora... the light doesn't shift here." The other belsprout looked confusedly upon their companion.

Flora stopped laughing and began to shake her head. I couldn't help but smile as she went on to explain that it had just been an expression. Turning to Whiplash, I asked the last question I felt I could handle receiving an answer to at the time being. "Where are the minun right now?"

"With miss Starestcilis." I nodded as he said this and he continued to stare at me.

A moment passed with us just staring before finally I spoke up again, "Alright then, I guess I'll be going. Have a good day." He nodded, I almost nodded again but stopped myself and turned to go, bidding the two conversing belsprouts a farewell also.

'So Pita's left then. I didn't even say good bye... I only really talked to her a couple times, but it feels rude at least all the same. She was a nice person, least I could have done is wished her good fortune in her future.' I'd lost a little of the bounce in my step after this, there was nothing to do but wait. I knew this would prove more harrowing than doing something since I was beyond a mood for patience.

'I'll apologize to the the twins when they arrive and then converse with Violet, to get this ball rolling. After things pick up I'll start taking in options for escape. That's the plan.' Nodding to myself, I found that I had arrived at the minun's rock. 'If I wait here, there's little chance I'll miss them.' Giving a quick leap I was over the small creek and upon the rocky island. It really was a nice spot, I could see myself using this as a base or just a spot to relax when I was young.

I was about to lay down and relax for a bit when I remembered the two way pane nearby. I tried to ignore it but to no avail. I couldn't shake the thought that someone was watching me right now and I couldn't see their reactions or guess at their thoughts. It made me feel uncomfortable, even if I was just sitting here in the artificial lighting doing nothing that I wouldn't do in public normally anyway.

I was just about to loose my nerve entirely and depart from the creek when a rustling nearby stopped me. I turned to find AC and DC staring up at me confusedly, obviously surprised at my presence. I suddenly felt awkward, I rarely ever had to apologize for anything. I wanted to just say the words, let them out but my throat wasn't working as well as I'd have liked it to. Instead I stood there trying to say something haltingly and only managing to make a fool of myself.

AC was the first the first to break the silence, "Stratus? What are you doing over here?" It sounded rather standoffish, no doubt they were instinctively protecting themselves from being hurt by me again.

'Or maybe they're just unsure of why I'm here and are worried it's because of something bad.' That sounded rather plausible so I proceeded with that conclusion assumed as the reason. "Don't worry, I'm not here because of anything bad happening. I just wanted to say.. I..." I took a deep breath before managing to force out the last bit rather sharply, "I'm sorry for being so distant lately! For... avoiding you guys. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry or hurt you." I was frowning despite being relieved that I managed to apologize for my grievances.

AC looked instantly happy, but DC was still looking confused. "Why were you like that? You avoided us? Did we make you mad?" He had such a kicked growlithe look at that moment that I wanted to physically hurt myself for doing this to the young minun. Hearing what his brother said AC lost his smile as well.

"No! No, it wasn't you guys! I was just really down because of the weather." After saying this while shaking my head vigorously I realized how lame that sounded. I tried to come up with something to make it reasonable without fully revealing my intentions to flee from here. "It's hard to survive in the winter, and it came so early. i was just worried for... for my pikachu friends and such is all."

'I was a little anyway', I tried to tell myself to make it feel like less than a lie. Here I was apologizing and lying while doing it. I really didn't like dishonesty but I couldn't think of anything that would fit the bill without jeopardizing my future freedom. 'I guess it boils down to me not trusting them. Even if I'm able to patch things up with them there will always be that shadow hanging over my head. I'll just have to hope they can forgive me when I come clean with them later on. If I'm able to anyway...'

"Oh..." DC just nodded faintly, digesting this new information. "Will they be ok Stratus?" He was looking concerned now rather than hurt, thankfully.

"Yes, they should be alright. The head of the herd isn't someone to underestimate." I hopped down from my perch, feeling I should close the distance rather than continuing to look down at the two. "I heard about Pita, how are you two doing?" The miltank must have meant a lot to the minun, I could clearly see how sad her departure had made them at the mention of her name.

"She had to go. She couldn't live here forever. She'll have a nice family too I'll bet." DC was nodding with this, obviously trying to convince himself of the truth to mend his heart ache. No doubt this only reminded him of his and AC's own adoption difficulties.

"She wanted to say good bye and we tried looking for you but couldn't find you." AC's ears lowered to his head and he shuffled is feet for a moment. If it had been earlier this week I could recall taking to hiding in a few places to avoid the two bundles of energy. If I felt bad before about Pita going, it was far worse now. 'Ah great, now I really feel like a heel.' "You're not leaving too are you!?" AC had gotten right next to me and was barely an inch from my face without my noticing. I took a reflexive step back away from the sudden closeness.

"AC, leave him alone. Nobody stays here forever, remember what Pearl told us?" DC had pulled his brother away from me and was looking at him reproachingly.

"I know, but.. but we're still here. I don't want everyone leaving us here like this." The little minun had started shedding tears by this point, falling back on his rump.

'Ah! A crying child!' I started to panic for a moment before forcing myself to calm down. It wasn't a catastrophe, just reassure him. "It's true that no one is going to be here for that long, we all want to move on with our lives right? I'm not sure what's going on with you two but I'm more than certain that with a little time you'll be out enjoying the rest of the world! Trust me, I have good gut instincts." I patted AC on the head and gave him a wink. 'If they're not out by the time I'm human, I'm going to spring them out for sure.' If they wanted to see the forest then they'll enjoy accompanying me on my excursions. This thought made me a bit nervous thinking about the two hyper children running wild in the forest while I'm trying to sneak around.

"I don't know..." The two of them seemed extremely doubtful at my statement but slowly began to regain their former selves upon seeing my unshakable confidence.

"Ya! Don't worry AC, we'll get out there and jump from trees and throw rocks in ponds and ride on pidgeys too! You'll see, it'll be great! Maybe we can play on that ice stuff Pearl showed us too even!" Ice stuff? 'I guess they wouldn't see that indoors really. I doubt they'd have gone to the water pokemon section.'

AC was grinning at the thought all those activities and hopped back to his feet and began nodding his head rapidly. "That would be so cool! I can't wait, we should go outside and play in the snow again next time! Don't stay wet out there for so long this time either DC! Pearl wouldn't let us out for the last week cause you almost got a cold!" I laughed as AC scolded his brother for a past transgression. This reminded the two of my presence and their attention returned to me.

'You'll come outside and play too right Stratus? The snow is so cool! It's all cold and clings to you and stuff and you can move it around like dirt almost. Pearl showed us how to make little figures with the snow and stuff too even! It'll be a lot of fun, we'll ask her if you can come next time, won't you go with us?" I just nodded my head in agreement. 'Having a change of pace like that could be fun. It'll give me a chance to feel this weather as a pikachu also.'

They cheered for a moment before finally settling down. AC addressed me one last time with his previous concerns, "You'll be staying for awhile then? You're not leaving soon are you?"

"Ahh, well, err... I won't be living in a human home for a long time yet, I promise." The twins were relieved to hear this and both gave me bright smiles. I grinned back and shuffled my guilt neatly under a mental rug. 'Well, I won't be living with humans or as a pet anytime, ever. I just, won't be here either... a nice part to omit I know.' I wouldn't disappear without saying goodbye to them, I just couldn't hint that I had alternative motives to anyone so early in this game of mouse trap. Children aren't known for their ability to keep secrets, so I doubted pokemon children were any different.

END Chapter 21 - Torpid Reversal

Parting Author Note: I hadn't written in so long about Jek I went back and digested my last few chapters to regain my footing in the story. I knew what was going to happen, as always, just lost touch with the characters and the over all emotional situation of those involved. I've spent far too much time in this hospital and I want a change as much as Jek does. Is it just me or does Jek keep getting more slight of word with what he says? Hmm... are they just white lies? Is it wrong? Though he always does it with the intention of making good on it later so I wonder...

Also, Jek doesn't care if pokemon see him moping but some humans do and he's suddenly upset? Does this mean he's being prejudice to pokemon since he may not see them as equals, like they can't be his peers? Are they or aren't they? Hmm, interesting... We'll see eventually I guess, no? How many of you might be like this also? Is it wrong? Does it matter what feelings fictitious creatures have? Hahah, wanted to point that one out there, thought it was amusing. Or maybe it was just that the pokemon are in there with him and the people were on the outside looking in on him that caused him to feel that way. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Till next time, YEE HAW! (You know you missed it)


	24. Frustrating Accommodations

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: When the story first began I had Jek hating the whole head pat/hair ruffle thing. He declared he would never do it to another, but guess what he did last chapter? I was wondering if anyone caught that little tid-bit and decided to not mention it until the chapter after. Of course, it's been 5 months since this declaration, so no problem if your memory is a bit fuzzy on that. (My goodness, so very long ago. So much for finishing in a month, HAH) What does it mean? That's for you to decide for yourselves.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 22 - Frustrating Accommodations

"Are you even listening!?" An angry accusation flew towards me and was easily deflected with my swaying tail and turned back.

"Huh, what? Oh ya, sure I am." I faked a yawn and grinned after hearing his agitated snort. I was more than enjoying his misery, which in itself might be wrong if I didn't feel it was justified. 'Someone has to take the mutt down a peg or two, might as well be the country bumpkin. Besides, I have all day in here, what better way to be entertained than by agitating an overly irate eevee...'

"If you're not going to focus I'll just have to come back when you're short attention span hasn't already been spent." He'd stood up and was walking to the exit with a sour look. I immediately hopped up from my position and moved to follow him, finally grabbing his tail and pulling him to a stop.

"Hey, I was paying attention! You said humans eat on raised surfaces and I can't go up there and eat with them like that unless invited, or rather given permission to. Most people allow this, but some don't and I need to keep it in mind. That's what you said right?" I gave him the best 'you thought wrongly of me and it hurt' look that I could muster. This is what drove him mad the most I think. I purposely acted flaky but then would point out exactly what he wanted to accuse me of not catching onto. Since I knew all of what he was talking about, and then some, it was child's play to toy with him using this method.

While I was speaking he jerked his apprehended limb from my grasp, then staring at me, his body still directed towards the door. "Yes, that was the gist of it. It's good that you can grasp such simple concepts so easily, you should be proud of yourself. You must have been the brighter egg of your litter." I ignored the smirk he got from this reply, I was more than ready with my counter to this. 'Nice touch there, a fake compliment hidden within a debasing comment aimed at myself and my family.'

"Yes sir, my momma told me I was real smart all the time. You're good at reading people Hail!" I gave him a big goofy smile to follow up on this statement. I found acting ignorant to his jibes got under his skin more than recognizing and parrying them. I think that's why his words had become harsher also, he was dumbing down his quips to the point he felt the idiot before him would finally be able to grasp their meaning.

He instantly lost his smirk and stared at me for a moment with a searching look. Eventually, he turned and continued on his way. "Regardless, I have other matters to attend to today. I'm sure we can pick up where we've left off tomorrow."

"Sorry to see you go buddy. Have a great day Hail! Say hi to Pearl for me also will you? Thanks pal!" So Hail departed with a pikachu waving animately after his retreating form. 'An afternoon well spent.' I figured if I got him to wise up to how it felt to be treated poorly, maybe I could save some pokemon after me a headache. I'm not normally an agitator, last thing I wanted to do was be in conflict with someone on a daily basis. Something about Hail had me breaking that rule of avoidance though, it reminded me of the time I'd snapped at the fire pokemon back when the poachers had me.

Looking up to see a sky still filled with tiny snow flakes, I suddenly wanted to be out there again. The twins had gotten their wish and I'd ended up outside in the snow with them the day before. I hadn't really played in the snow since I was ten maybe so it was a fun experience regardless of my age. I had been surprised to find that Pearl, the boy's case worker, was a wartortle. I didn't figure they would set two electric types up with a water pokemon like that. But then, I won't claim to understand how such people conduct their business.

Maybe I was being prejudice, 'Who says a water pokemon can't help two minun as well as another pokemon? I shouldn't limit them based on species or inherent abilities like that... though I doubt a psyduck would work well... or a tentacool... or a magikarp. Okay, there can be a few exceptions and I'll just remain doubtful about the others until proven otherwise.' I nodded to myself and once again brought my mental imagine of Pearl back up. Reminiscing like this made me recall the conversation I had with her the other day about what all was going on.

_"Pearl, I wanted to ask you, what is going on with the two kids? It seems to me that they shouldn't be cooped up here with how much they want to see stuff outside. Not to mention how lonely they are. There aren't any other children here like them for extended periods of time." I removed my hands from a ball of snow I had been rolling to turn my attention to the other adult in the pen._

_"I know Stratus, it's a complicated situation, it really isn't as easy as you think. As much as I'd like to help them it would only cause more problems. Ms. Starestcilis could lose her job if she does anything out of line, we're all doing this to help people. We wouldn't be able to do that anymore if that happened. The best I can do is to try and keep them happy and help them like this as best I can. I spend more than half my allotted time with the children you know, so don't think I'm not trying here." I'd obviously touched upon a sore point with the look she was giving me. She was daring me to accuse her of letting them suffer without reason._

_"I'm sorry Pearl, really. I didn't mean to accuse you have doing a poor job or anything, I'm just... worried about them is all. I like seeing them in this situation about as much as you do it seems like." I cast a glance back to the two minun throwing clumps of snow at each other still. "Can you tell me in detail what the problem is please? It would mean a lot to me..." I'd turned back to her and was sharing a pleading look with the wartortle before me, to which she eventually caved under._

_She seemed to focus herself for a moment before locking eyes with me, obviously having needed to prepare for sharing a lengthy tale with me. "Pita, Whiplash and the boys are all a part of the same trainers group of pokemon. Johnny, their trainer, had an accident during an encounter maybe a year ago. He's been in a coma since then. The boys were still eggs at the time, but he still had clear ownership. Normally, the trainers family takes custody and cares for the pokemon during such an incident, or the hospital will place them within pokeballs and put them into storage for a period of time until it is deemed the trainer will not recover." Pearl took a deep breath and let out a sigh that could only be the product of many sad hours spent dwelling on what was next. "However, Johnny's parents, his only family, dislike pokemon and declined to care for any of his charges. Many of his friends offered but only kin are able to take a trainers pokemon into custody like that, even temporarily. If he just had a domestic occupation things would be different, he's an Enforcer however. Thus special rules are applied to him and his pokemon to protect them from the dubious groups they fight."_

_She paused and waited for me to digest the gist of the first part. Giving a nod to indicate I'd followed her, she went on with her explanation. "Due to the rules that the humans live by, since the minun weren't in pokeballs nor did the trainer state that he had any intention of tagging them with one, we can't make that choice for him. It's a problem with the system they're working on fixing but in the end AC and DC are caught in the middle. Pita stayed out of her pokeball to keep the children company, but as it's been over a year she was feeling the call of her own maternal desires. She was getting on in years and wanted to be able to have children of her own to raise. This is hardly the place to do such a thing at. She was the only constant person for them here, the closest they got to a mother figure. They're strong though, and stand by each other, I have no doubt that they'll be able to recover from their loss."_

_There was a lot I wanted to say but ended up with a entirely different question aimed only to fill a smaller gap than the many I had by this point. " And Whiplash?"_

_"He was Johnny's starter pokemon. He's fully declined being placed into storage, instead choosing to experience the wait as his friend does. I won't pretend to understand his motives or stance on this, it's simply what he feels is the right thing to do and his resolve in following through with this decision remains unshakable." She broke her gaze from me, turning back to watch as AC pinned his brother in the snow telling him to admit defeat._

_'So there's nothing that can be done until the-" I had to stop myself from saying law or lawyers, I had little doubt I could since I'd said scientist in the past. Coming up with a suitable replacement statement I continued on, "humans change the rules they have on this situation? How long will that take? Do you have an estimate?"_

_She shook her head in defeat, "The humans exist as a herd far larger than you can imagine. For all of them to come upon an agreeable conclusion about something like this, if at all, takes a very long time. I'm really not sure how much longer they could be stuck here like this. A trainer doesn't lose custody of his pokemon until two years of being incapacitated. At most they'll be here for a year and a half. By then their childhood will be long since gone however." The poor turtle looked almost on the verge of tears and I felt awful for having dug up the obviously painful problem she was trying to solve._

_Deciding to take her mind off this matter I brought up another subject of interest to me. "What's the story with hail anyway? He doesn't seem like much of a candidate for the duties you guys do. The minun also seem to really dislike him." I was trying my hardest to word it as politely as possible, rather than just calling him a jerk or such._

_She gave me a lopsided smile at this question, no doubt she received this a lot. "Don't you find him to be just delightful company to keep?" Receiving a weary shake of my head and a hesitant grimace, she laughed for a moment. "Well, as wonderful as he is, he gets results every time. That's part of the reason the AC and DC hate him, he's worked on the cases of most of their friends. To them, he's the sign of another farewell. From what I understand, you're learning quite quickly."_

_'That's not really because of him though...' It irked me that he was getting credit for my prior knowledge. I hadn't taken that factor into account when I began, but it was too late now. "I guess so..." That made sense, no wonder those two dislike him so much. I wanted to go on further but the twins were running up to us, not content to play amongst themselves anymore._

Pearl must be one of the social workers that deeply cared about the people around her and had taken this profession with the intent to help others. I'm not sure how pokemon social workers chose their partners, but I doubt they just went out and caught them. It seems like there would be a selection process of some kind. 'Seeing a situation like this where she couldn't fix the problem and make them happy must be eating away at her in the worst way.' I was less than envious of how powerless she must feel over the whole thing.

"Speaking of powerless...' I had already thought of several possible escape venues during my trips to the outside pen, Ms. Starestcilis office. All of them would take some careful ministrations but I could pull it off. They were looking like daunting tasks but I decided to look at them as a challenge more than anything else. I didn't consider the possibility of my failing or being found out, it wasn't an option.

I had no doubt that if I freaked out and was unreasonable and kept screaming about freedom and the forest that they'd tranquilize me and I'd be let free, or put at a ranch where they'd try again. Both would be viable options, but every time I thought of this scenario I felt queasy. 'I don't want to make such a big scene, acting like a child. Even if I have a good reason for it. It would also scare the two minun I'm sure. As soon as they told me to stop acting like a kid I'd probably stop immediately. I just can't handle embarrassing situations at all...' So I decided that was to be the all else fails plan. I had no desire to die of mortification at inducing such a scene and dealing with the results.

I had several escape options in mind and before I commit them I need to make sure the minun know I might be leaving, subtlety anyway. Turning away from the entrance I had been staring at in a daze, I turned back to the rest of the compound. I tried to enjoy the feeling of grass under my paws as I slowly made my way to the creek. If all went well, I wouldn't be enjoying such a pleasant climate for long. I didn't long for the harsh conditions that awaited me.

It was a short process of arriving at the creek with the well loved rock. Seeing the two sleeping a top of it I decided perhaps I could come back later on. Glancing at the window pane I realized how cute the two must seem to the various onlookers that passed by. If it weren't for the legalities, there's no doubt they'd have been picked up ages ago. The creek next to the window was a good viewing effect, it probably acted as a border to the onlookers making the scene more lively and feel more like the wilderness. This was the photographer part of me thinking of the pictorial aspects of the set up.

The creek looked awfully inviting as I was standing next to it, listening to the soft ambient sounds it let off. 'I won't be able to enjoy water like this in a bit... so why not?' I shrugged a bit and stepped into the flowing creek. I guessed most people avoided this area because of the odd glass pane, otherwise I'd imagine many others coming to enjoy the tranquil spot. The water reached just above where my tail jutted out from my back. It was really shallow but just feeling the cool water following past me as I stood there was relaxing enough. It didn't need to be any deeper in my opinion.

I'm not sure how long I stood there, lost to the world around me but eventually two splashes nearby drew me from my shell. "Stratus!" AC was splashing his way over to me with his brother. I wasn't sure when they'd woken up but obviously they were awake now all the same. The water was only slightly higher on them than me and I was reminded that despite their age, they were barely smaller than myself. 'Minun don't have an evolution chain like most species, so they're in the only body they'll have.' It was odd thinking of how there were some species that would never experience an evolution. My memory of it was fuzzy, but a faint sense of that euphoria still lingered.

"Afternoon AC, DC. I saw you two resting so I decided to leave you be." I turned myself to face them instead of opting to get a crick in my neck. I'd done that before and wanted to avoid it here on.

"Mmm, I was getting really sleepy so I took a nap. I didn't figure AC would too though." DC had crossed his arms and was casting his brother a dubious look.

"What? I can't sleep when you are or something?" It seemed they could find anything to bicker about if they put some effort into it. He turned his attention away from his brother to address me again, "What are you doing in the water over here anyway? Don't you like your pond more? It's really not very deep. I asked Pearl if she could make it deeper and wider but she said it was fine the way it is. And they got upset with DC when he tried to dig around in it to."

"I just wanted to make a dam like she'd told us about. It's not like you didn't help either AC, don't say I'm the only one that was doing it." DC splashed water at his sibling with his retort. This proved to be an act of war as the two started to go at it once more.

I just let the squabble about a failed event of their youth pan out, choosing not to intervene. Eventually they settled down and I chose to answer the question they'd asked me but likely forgotten while getting sidetracked. "I'm actually over here because I wanted to talk with you for a moment." That seemed to get their attention fairly quickly, thankfully. "You both know I won't be here for a long time right? I'm with Hail almost everyday after all."

They stopped shaking themselves dry, an action that sent water at me thus allowing me to realize how annoying it was when I did it to others, and looked sad at receiving this reminder. AC took a step towards me and exclaimed, "You promised you weren't going to be leaving anytime soon though. You weren't going to live with humans away from here for a long time right?" He looked a little desperate at this point and I was glad I had decided to talk to them like this.

"I said I wasn't going to be living with humans or as a pet for a long time yet." I made sure to word it as I had before, it would placate them and hopefully after my escape they'll be able to piece together that I hadn't lied. 'Or maybe they'll decided that misleading like this is lying...' I crushed that thought as quickly as it had sprung up. 'I have to leave, staying is not an option. I can only hope they'll understand that.'

"That doesn't mean I won't go eventually, and that's what I'm here to talk to you about. I want you two to know, that even if I go at any point of time from here on, I promise that I'll come back for you. So don't think I'm leaving you behind, I will return and take you to see the forest alright?" The flood of energy and emotions from the two left me speechless as I could hardly keep up with it. To say they were excited at this declaration would be an understatement. Eventually after lots of jumping around, hugs, and questions I managed to ask them to keep it to themselves since the others might try to stop me from following through on it.

END Chapter 22 - Frustrating Accommodations

Parting Author Note: Hope a glimpse at possible real life type legal situations causing problems in the poke-verse was interesting to y'all. Gotta hate those loop holes that cause good people to suffer.

In the games pokemon come out at the same size as some of their parents. Obviously, this wouldn't work. The only way for there to be an egg that is the size of the one that birthed it is if the egg grew outside of the mothers body after she delivered it. As magical as the pokemon world is, that thought just seems very very very very weird. So I've decided that in this story, pokemon that don't have a smaller beginning evolution will have a period where they're bodies grow much like peoples do. How will this affect the dynamics of all the species? Well, we'll have fun finding out no?

Finally coming to a close on this place is helping my writing, I already have the next chapter written. It'll be up tomorrow evening.

Another chapter that isn't a month apart from the last one and the next one is already typed? I think there's cause for alarm folks! Till next time Y'all. Lets have us a big one this round... YEEEE HAAAAW!


	25. Cold Anticipation

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: This story is dedicated to all you folks reading it, really. If no one was reading it, or enjoying it, I wouldn't be writing this tale. After all, I know the entire story and then some(since I know several possibilities and paths it could have taken but did not), so writing it out, while somewhat fun, is definitely not for my own benefit. So just read, enjoy, and there will be more! How cool is that? I think it's like that with any media though. A show gets canceled when people stop liking it. They only make sequels to movies when people like the first one... or if the filmmakers are stupid and need to waste money on making a crappy sequel to a bad movie. It's happened before, we all know.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 23 - Cold Anticipation

Failure after failure in my great plan to escape had me down. I was starting to run out of possible escape routes, and I didn't trust my luck at not being found out to last much longer. 'It's nothing short of a miracle that they haven't caught on yet.' Hail had been enjoying using the 'mistakes' I had made as ammo to harass me also.

Speaking of the eevee, he had departed just a moment ago. It had been a bit of a habit of mine to collect myself, thinking in front of this door after the eevee would leave. It took a lot of energy to endure him after all, and the entire time I was acting the part of someone I've never been before. Said pokemon was schooling me on manners these days, I was to take a simple test on it a day from now even. That insufferable pokemon was of the impression that I'd fail miserably despite not missing anything he's covered thus far. This almost made me want to stay long enough just to prove him wrong. It was this thought that caused a sudden revelation about Hail that made everything that had me confused about him fit together.

'So that's it! Of course he gets results, that's his purpose. He's mean and mocking, thus making the individual want to prove him wrong and establish their capabilities. It's reverse psychology, that's what he's good at. Pearl couldn't tell me that because knowing that would cease the effectiveness of this approach.' It made perfect sense to me now, 'What better way to get pokemon that might be prone to choosing to stay in a place like this for an extended period to want to learn how to leave. If a pokemon came out of the forest where their life is constantly in danger, especially a typically fearful pack pokemon like a pikachu, they'd love this kind of safe haven. Even if it is a restricted environment, they would be inclined to enjoy the peace for a time. They may naturally want to leave eventually, but definitely only after a rather extended period of time. Clinically speaking, the pokemon center needs to keep them moving.'

'He's a jerk, but a jerk being used to a just end. I can't say I like it, but I understand it at least. Not that Hail is in anyway a decent individual, he's a twit whatever he may be accomplishing here. The real award winner is obviously Ms. Starestcilis. Though, she did unleash that evil upon all unsuspecting way laid pokemon, so she loses points in that aspect.' Thinking back on when I had met the woman, I got the impression that she would do that sort of thing. She was very proper and was doing everything by the book, not an ounce of unprofessional conduct. She took her job very seriously and I wouldn't doubt her using psychological tactics to an end. I didn't doubt that she had good intentions, but she was definitely aiming for the results.

Turning to depart from the entrance I was stopped as a familiar voice called to me. "Oh Stratus, I'm glad I caught you here. I was ready to go looking around for you. The boys told me how good at hiding you can be." I had the good sense to look embarrassed as she was smiling at me. "Fairbanks was hoping to see you for a moment. Do you mind coming with me for a bit?"

"No, it's fine." I started towards her and past the doors. They always slid shut so silently that my ears jerked when they did, physically assuming something was trying to sneak up on me. The walk to his office was about as eventful as the first time. Less so now that I had been through here before it seemed. We spent it in silence, I didn't really have anything to say or ask.

It wasn't uncomfortable, though I did feel bad that I didn't seemingly have anything I needed to talk to her about. 'Doing her job or not, I'd rather we weren't that distant.' Finally I decided to just give a simple query about her current state, "How have things been for you? No doubt you're extremely busy with all the trainers being affected by the weather."

Looking over her shoulder she spared me a glance, still smiling as always. "Yes, it's been very busy but I don't mind. I like being able to help all those people, I just feel bad for the pokemon since they're all getting sick more now." She had a concerned look now as she turned to look ahead once again. "Oh! Excluding ice and some water types of course. I've been treating fire types that are the trainers main pokemon mostly. It's sad that they can't rely on other types in this weather, they need to learn to have a well balanced group let me tell you!"

The chansey being upset over ill prepared and irresponsible trainers was rather humorous. If she had the arms for it, I'm sure they would be on her hips at this point. 'If one can say a chansey has hips.' Looking at her back as we walked along I was amazed once more by just how small I really was. Pikachu are only little more than a foot in height, this chansey was easily three times that, causing me to be constantly looking up when I tried to meet her gaze. 'I really don't like these extreme height differences, it definitely makes me feel very weak physically. Of course, it's been like that for over a month now. It'll be great to get my height back, and then only the larger pokemon or people will cause me to look up.'

The professor was waiting for us at the door, when the two of us arrived. Inviting me in, he thanked Violet for her time. 'I can only figure that she acts as a pokemon fetcher well because she's like a mediator or go between.' It was odd to me that they kept having her go and get me, but I didn't know what her duties entailed. 'That could very well be one of her duties as nurse Joy's assistant. With how large this place is, I'd think they would have more nurses and such... maybe I just haven't seen the others.'

Fairbanks gestured that I could take a seat on the small stool across from him. I didn't remember seeing it before so he must have moved it here recently. At first I thought it could've been because of my visit, but then decided that would be weird and highly unusual of the educated man. He finished cleaning his glasses and placed them once more upon his face, casting me a piercing but not hostile look as he took a seat of his own before his desk.

"It's been a rather interesting week from what I hear. First Taira's room was at over a hundred degrees on Tuesday, I guess you'd been a little too curious and played with the heaters dial." He smiled wryly as I gave a sheepish grin, 'So her first name's Taira is it? That'll be much easier to say than the case workers last name.' I wondered why they hadn't introduced her as such to everyone, though, I guessed she appreciated the respectful way of addressing her. With how proper she was in how she carried herself, it seemed a likely scenario.

"Then I guess you somehow wandered into the waiting room, though you did stop when they told you too. Of course, there were a lot of pokemon there, like at the last center you'd visited." I was really beginning to worry now and I think he noticed it. 'It's true, I was hoping for a semi empty entrance but it had been filled with way laid trainers seeking shelter from the storm. I didn't want an incident like the last one to replay itself.' He just stroked the his well kept gray beard for a moment in thought. "Of course, we also can't forget the whole sprinkler system and fire problem."

That was my near gravest error. I had only meant to act frightened and shock a piece of paper, thus causing a fire and setting off the fire alarms. I could then use that moment to act like the alarms drove me into a panicked state and allowing me to attempt to flee the building without any repercussions, not to mention all the others that would be trying to make for the emergency exits. What I didn't anticipate was accidentally setting fire to the womans desk nor the resulting deluge of water. 'I need more practice with my electrical attacks...' I had been so surprised by the damage and problem I had caused I didn't remember to flee the scene. I'm not allowed near paper anymore because of it.

I was eying the man wearily now, just what was he up to with this conversation. I was immediately worried that I could have been found out, or that he'd want to put me into a study group for smarter than average pokemon. Typically that level of intelligence is only found in Psychic types, or pokemon that have been with a trainer for a long time. I was just a yearling in their eyes.

"If one didn't know any better, they might think you were trying to escape from here." The room grew tense as a silence fell upon both of us. Sitting there, staring at each other waiting for the other to make the first move. I couldn't take the retching feeling that had enveloped me for very long however, and I eventually broke into a shaky gesture of my head indicating that it was a silly notion.

"Really? So you're not trying to get out at all? Ramone had mentioned you'd tried to escape before and were rather intelligent. Are you sure my theory is inaccurate?" It was like having a coffin lid nailed on you and the whole time you were trying to convince yourself that you weren't in a small box. Shaking my head more vigorously, I tried to will this situation to not turn as bad as I felt it would. "So if I were to tell you that I could theoretically help you leave here, you'd decline right? I mean, you're not trying to flee after all."

I froze, that instant, that simple statement, a collage of various possible outcomes and scenario's played themselves out in my mind. Most of them were bad. I was a mouse caught in corner and the cat had my existence in it's paws. I supposed I could continue to deny it but in the end, his suspicion was there and any of my attempts after this would be the clincher. I could make sure my next time was a success but it's not as though I'd been able to make it as of yet despite my intentions to do so.

Before I could continue down a negative trail of thoughts I pushed them back and reminded myself of the stance I'd chosen to take from now on. 'I've been hiding this whole time, I said I would take risks... so here's the plunge.' I took a leap of faith by bending my head to the side and giving a questioning "Oh." I knew he wouldn't understand it verbally, but this simple message would be hard pressed to fail at crossing the language barrier.

"It'd be rather easy for me to create an escape route... of course, since you weren't trying to escape there's little need for that. You're not interested are you?" He looked like he was smirking but with his hand covering his mouth I couldn't tell very well. I think he was feeling anticipation and was just enjoying the trap he'd created. I nodded my head yes to indicate my interest. He was actually smiling, leaning forward in his chair I could see a sparkle in his eyes now.

This was the look of catching a thinking mans interest. I was now a puzzle, a mystery he found fascinating. I'd had that look several times when I was learning my own profession. Notably when I was experimenting with keeping the shutter of the camera open but held in a stable potion. This caused the background to remain exactly the same but the subjects in motion to blur. It was glorious to me, I couldn't stop tinkering with it. You had to have a tripod for it so I hadn't really been able to apply it while I was out and about, but had been thinking on it's possibilities for a long time.

"So you were trying to escape... all those times.. you knew what you were doing didn't you?" He was like a kid asking for some secret information that would make the world seem that much brighter. 'Maybe that's it then, he just wants to have his faith in the wonders of this world rekindled.' That's what I tried to tell myself, instead of thinking of the negative possibilities.

'Good people live everywhere, you chose to take this path, don't chicken out now. Believe in someone for once.' This whole time I'd been hiding and acting, maybe that was the wrong approach. It'd gotten me this far from a solution, a change of pace couldn't do much worse. I sealed my fate with a simple nod. I never figured such a small gesture could hold such weight as this.

"That's simply amazing! I never would have thought... you knew those things but were out in the woods. You're barely over a year old even! That's... wow. It looks like I didn't take Ramone's analysis as seriously as I should have." As he was stuttering and being exasperated while leaning back in his chair looking at the ceiling, I sat there with a nervous chuckle failing to leave my throat. 'Ya.. heheh... it's great.'

He immediately snapped back to stare at me. "If you can answer three simple questions to slate my own curiosity, I'll help you leave this place as I promised. Consider it a trade if you will. Do you accept these terms?" I could hardly decline as I watched his leg twitching in an anxious up and down manner, something I had gotten a few times while waiting for the school bell to ring. I gave yet another nod and waited for his challenge.

"Excellent!" He tried vainly to calm himself down for a moment before continuing, "It's very simple. I'm going to say a number problem and you use a single gesture with your two paws to answer it. So you may only use either paw once together. Do you understand what I mean?" I barely nodded for the umpteenth time before he was turned around and grabbing something from his desk. He rotated back with some pencils in his hand, "I have four pencils in my left hand, and three in my right. How many pencils do I have all together?"

This was a little easier than I had been expecting. 'I've never been in this kind of situation so I probably shouldn't trust my expectations I suppose.' I just ticked my little stubby "fingers" on my two forepaws until I hit seven.

He was smiling some more and put the writing utensils down. "If I have nine apples and I eat four of them, how many will I have left?"

It was getting a little more clever now. The first question was easy just so he could make sure I had understood and knew how to answer. He didn't use objects this round and asked a subtraction question instead. I couldn't just count anything this time, I had to be able to visualize the problem without any outside aid. Again, I didn't disappoint and gave him the number five with one paw. It was rather amusing seeing such an older gentlemen getting so excited. He was likely in his forties but looked more like a graduate fresh out of school at this point. That made me feel good and banished some of my worries momentarily. 'I've really made this guy's day... It's nice to have made someone so happy like this. I could understand it too, I'm sure I'd be as happy as him had I been in the same position.'

He took a deep breath and delivered the final question, "This one is going to be harder than the others... I have three groups of seven berries. If I add them all up, how many do I have total?" Pausing he reminded me of a rule, "Remember now, don't use either paw more than once."

I was left staring at him, 'I have obviously underestimated this man's intelligence.' Anyone would assume this was just another simple mathematical problem at first glance but in reality it would provide invaluable information to him. Aside from the multiplication aspect, this required an understanding of numbers past that of ten digits. The simplest form of counting for people and some pokemon since we have our fingers.

The most important fact however, was in that pokemon whom don't understand or know of math would be confused as to how to indicate twenty-one without flashing their fingers or other appendages the appropriate number of times, instead being limited to using their paws only once. I'd have to give a two and a one on separate paws if I wanted to answer this correctly. 'That's why he'd placed that rule there, I was confused as to why he'd add such a thing that didn't seem to have a use. He planned this encounter, it's too well laid out for it to be spur of the moment. My answering this right would indicate that I understand how math is written as a language.'

He began to lose some of his earlier energy as I continued to sit and stare at him. Fairbanks repeated the question to me, possibly in the hope that I just needed some more time to work with it. This situation felt really heavy, all the stress it was causing me was like a water fall placed above my head. I didn't want to enlighten him like this because it could be dooming for me, but at the same time he really didn't seem like the dangerous type. My naturally weary and untrusting nature was out of control at this point. I was always cautious, always planning out everything and taking the safe road. That's why I was so good as a pokemon naturalist, even just starting out as I was. Ever patient, ever able to think ahead and avoid a crises before it occurred.

Here I sat, about to do one thing my entire being told me could be my end, all to follow a path I've left untraveled. 'How can a person grow if he never changes. I refuse to be that coward that hides in a corner his whole life.' I gave him his answer and sat back, finding zen in letting my fate play out before me. If worse comes to worst I could always use my attacks and be feral to try and escape. With how well this has been planned though, I doubt I'd catch this man off guard if his intents were malicious.

He was suddenly out of his seat and holding me high in the air, "That's incredible! How did you learn math like that? You were just a pichu weren't you? Did your herd or parents teach you it while you were growing up? Were they with a trainer when they were younger? Did they set up some kind of an educational system for you guys?" His mind was running rampant with all the possibilities that mine often does, it was fascinating to see it happening from the outside like this. 'I always do it internally. If I spoke out loud like this, I wonder if that's how I'd look also.'

In my whole life, I had never seen a man make such a display as this. Being flabbergasted by the apparent inner child I had awoken was an understatement. Eventually he calmed down and replaced me from whence I'd come. Fairbanks began to pace around the room still chuckling at times, "Well I suppose that's past my limit of three questions. I don't suppose you could enlighten me on any of those things?" He was giving me a hopeful look to which I declined. I was putting my foot down now, I wasn't about to reveal more than I already had. 'Best to leave it up to his imagination to fill the gaps.

He looked disappointed with my answer but corrected himself and gained a regal air. "I suppose you do have your reasons, and I'm not about to change my promise of only three questions. I'm a man of my word, be it to a human or a pokemon." He'd brought the subject that held so much promise back up and with it my ears as well. 'So he was telling the truth? The deal was real?' I was staring at him hopefully now, waiting with baited breath. "Of course, I can't just up and let you go or anything. The administration would frown on me just letting stray pokemon wonder out into the city." He pushed his glassed further upon his nose, their position had been loosened during his escapade.

He waved off my disappointed expression and went on, "I'm not much for telling fortunes you know, never could see the future. I think the hallway is going to be rather warm tomorrow though, I may need to open a window to let it cool off." He wasn't looking directly at me but I could see the sly smirk, obviously pleased with his own sense of subtlety.

'The hallway tomorrow? How is that going to- The manners thing with Hail! He must mean the hallway I'll be going through to Ms... well Taira's room.' The whole thing felt too easy to me. 'Is this how things go when you get help instead of trying to do things alone?' Perhaps I should have been more trusting before, it's obvious I was under-estimating how much another's aide can improve ones situation.

'I wonder how things might have gone if I hadn't been so wary with the other pikachu...' I tried not to think about this too greatly however, what was done was finished and past. 'I need to focus on what I can change not what I can't. Regrets only hold one back from seeking their future. Of course, I'll have to keep these mistakes in mind so I don't repeat them at least.'

"Just one thing though, if I might make a request... if you're ever in the area again could you spare an old man a bit of your time?" I was too happy with the turn of events to say no to him. Whether I could or would follow up on this was yet to be seen.

---------------------

Once more within the walled area I had known for little under a month now, I made a beeline for my tree. I could hardly wait for the next day and just wanted to turn in as best I could. I spent the in silence alone under the tree, just waiting as best I could for the promised moment to arrive. 'I had to have been here for a good twenty-three days now at least. If not a couple days more.' It was hard to track time inside of here or even outside. Not seeing calendars nor hearing the days of the week made one lose track of times passage. I had only seen the clocks in the two office and workrooms I'd been to also.

The over head lights finally began to dim, and I was thankful for it since I felt ready to burst from all the patience I'd spent waiting for the night to come. Sadly, all was for naught as I found it increasingly difficult to fall asleep with each moment I lie awake. I wanted to get as much rest as I could but the next days promise held me stuck with a breath of anticipation. It was like the night before Christmas and I couldn't wait to open all my presents. So I lay awake in bed for hours trying in vain to force sleep that wouldn't come, all the while busy thinking of what awaited me.

It was strange thinking that I would be leaving this environment so soon. It wasn't really awful, more like a lukewarm or tepid bath. Not horrible or cause for you to be in distress, but not as enjoyable as a warmer bath would be. I knew staying here would be settling for something less than what I could achieve, and with years of my life as the reward for success, there was little doubt in what I had to do.

I wasn't sure when it did claim me but as I slowly drifted back to the world of the waking I noticed something was very different than when I had finally been able to slip realities noose. It was almost like when I was back at the den, which would be odd. Opening my eyes and sitting up I realized why it had been like that. AC and DC and dropped their rock for the night and ended up with me under the pine tree. They were curled up together next to me and reminded me of how two other twins I had grown fond of were.

As heart warming as it may have been I was also worried by this event. 'If two children could sneak up and sleep next to me without waking me, when I'm out in the woods any predator could do the same with less than noble intentions in mind for my person.' This put me down a trail of thought of figuring out how to prevent this from happening including a series of possible traps I could set to act as a warning system. 'I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it.'

Shaking the two slightly I let them slowly rouse on their own. Walking out of the shade I looked up to see what time it could be, only to remember the darkened sky and therefore lack of time telling via solar positions. My best guess would be somewhat later on in the morning. It didn't feel later than when they served breakfast so I decided to guess that it was near the meal time. Looking back at the two minun rubbing the sleep from there eyes I was struck with how sad my departure will be, if I had any reason to stay at all it would be for them. I can do more for them if I get out however, so while it will hurt, I can eventually make the situation much better afterwards.

"Morning sleepy heads, decided to get a new spot did you?" I was giving them a wry grin with this statement, finding it terribly amusing.

DC was instantly embarrassed and looked at the ground. His brother spoke up first, "DC had a nightmare so we came over here. We'd go to Pita before but... You're not mad are you?"

'Ugh...' Just being around these two was a constant heart ache sometimes. "No, it's fine. Me and my sisters used to sleep in a den like that so it makes sense to me."

"A den? What's that?" DC was looking at me with an inquisitive gaze.

I was momentarily taken aback before realizing that this would be something they wouldn't know from living here. They didn't have fake dens or the like in this grasslands modeled area, which surprised me now that I thought of it. "It's a kind of hole in something, like a hill or ground, that pokemon set up a bed of debris in. They use things like leaves and grass for that. A den keeps it's occupants warm and out of poor weather, also hiding them from predators."

"Oh... that sounds nice. Like a fort almost!" I nodded to him, giving my approval with that comparison. I was sure the imaginative minun was picturing an example of a den that was far different than the actual thing however.

"Come on you two, I know you just woke up but we might miss the morning meal if we don't hurry." I turned and beckoned them to follow, to which they easily passed me up in a now race to the entrance. I wasn't the type to go leaping around like that after waking up in the morning, 'They make me feel like an old man.' I decided to pick up my own pace and at least not drag too far behind though. I wanted to enjoy the last morning I'd spend with the two before I was hopefully in another chapter of this life journey I'd been forced into.

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The time had finally come for me to leave for Taira's workroom. It seemed all too soon despite how long the wait had felt before it.

I was a wreck. It took every ounce of control to not start trembling. 'Did he lie? Will it be down here? Can I get out or will I fail again? Is she suspicious of what I might do?' It was nerve wracking walking down this hall with the ever polite and pleasant Violet. This was possibly the tensest moment I had ever experienced, the anticipation was killing me. I was trying to look at the windows from the corner of my eye, so if she looked back I wouldn't draw attention to my quarries. 'What if someone walked by and closed the window also? The plan would be foiled!'

My negative thoughts couldn't help thinking maybe the doctor had set a trap for me, that he just said that to keep me here another day before he could set up a plan of his own to capture me. This test could be it, I'd walk in and "BAM!" all over. As much as I wanted to call these thoughts silly, since he worked in a pokemon center and seemed like an overall nice guy, I couldn't shake my fears. 'He just wanted to see some of the wonder that drove him to spend his youth studying pokemon, that's all. Get a grip, not everyone out there could possibly only think of their own gains like that.' I was trying desperately to believe this thought as best as I could.

"Huh? That thing looks odd. What is it Violet?" I pointed at a fire extinguisher on the wall next to us.

"What does? Oh this thing here is just an anti-fire device. It's like a water pokemon's attack stored in a metal container for when a fire gets out of hand and the humans need to put it out. It does look a little odd but you'll see much weirder things- Stratus? Stratus?" A cold wind swept by the chansey standing alone in the hospitals hallway.

END Chapter 23 - Cold Anticipation

Parting Author Note: Thus the second segment of the story comes to an end finally. I think it was growing difficult for me to write out chapters in that setting, we'll see if my pace keeps up at all. Don't get your hopes up though. My once lovely, affectionate, and overly bossy, yet charming, muse long since ditched me. Come back to me my love! Also, I'm more than likely going to go back and edit the previous chapters some. I keep seeing mistakes now that it's been awhile since I touched them. This will likely be a common exercise for each new segment I hit in any of my stories.

Pikachu have five stubby "fingers". I checked around before I did that part cause I wasn't sure if they had four... or maybe six. I don't know. Anyway, so yes, they have five folks. I hope you guys enjoyed this ending to the story arc. I rather enjoyed the scenes, especially that last part. It was a riot thinking about Jek silently saying 'Yoink' when making a break for it. Also, I didn't mean to do it but he ended up at the hospital about as long as he'd been at the colony. Over three weeks but just shy of a month. Funny how that happened. Also, were you all worried that I would give him another batch of lemons like the last few times?

This is the second change from the original plot line I had planned out. I was planning for him to end up with a family with a father whom was an inventor. At his home, he'd meet several more characters and see things from a pets PoV in the pokemon world while living with a diverse family. After he lived out winter there he'd finally get the nerve to get back on the road to his re-transformation. Looking at how he was developing, I decided that would be too much of a railroad plot. So I actually preemptively cut out a number of characters and situations I had initially planned to use. It's unfortunate but I felt the story would only be marred if I forced it in any such direction. It flowed towards this conclusion naturally on it's own, I could hardly deny the stories choice. Of course, there are consequences for every choice we make, I wonder what his will be...

Hope the second arc was as fun as the first for y'all! If it wasn't... well... butterscotch yo. Yee Haw!


	26. A Journey's Beginning

Wishes aren't that Great

Author Note: So begins segment three with Jek now out in Cerulean City. Hmm, I wonder what events await him and his new found mobile freedom. Or do I? Do you? I'm confused now...

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Summary

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Since it's been so long, I decided to add a quick recap/summary of the previous two arcs for those that have forgotten some things. I'm going to remove it two weeks after posting this chapter. So, here's Wishes aren't that Great in 60 seconds(or however long it takes you to read it should you decide to do so)!:

Jek, everyday pokemon naturalist(photographer of pokemon in nature), had a run in with an odd pokemon like creature. She? (the She? thing is just to convey that She? was so alien to him in every way he's not sure if attaching a gender to her is proper. Like, she may be A-sexual for all he knows and thus lacking gender all together etc.) decided to "give" him something, that being his deepest desire being granted. However, it was a trick, and he ended up as a pichu in a colony just north of mount Moon. He was taken in by two twin sister pikachu's, Cirrus and Nimbus, whom named him Stratus. After a time at the colony, where he bonded with Trek and Terra, he and other pikachu were captured by Team Rocket while being "out of bounds" of the territory, though not before he evolved into a pikachu. While captured, a pokemon Enforcer (whom are the opposite of Team rocket/aqua/etc. as they make up a pokemon militia for the sake of perpetuating justice) set him and the other pokemon free. He ended up unconscious while helping Sara Kimbl (the enforcer) and woke in a pokemon center.

He was deemed to be too domesticated and the nurse Joy decided to have him adopted out. After a failed escape he was pokeballed and moved to Cerulean City. There he met several other "patients", including two friendly and hyper minun. After enduring a lengthy process of being trained for domestic living, and failing a number of escape attempts, Jek finally gets a helping hand from a human in the form of a scientist, Fairbanks, whom works at the facility. Thus the story continues with him having escaped into the early winter beyond the pokemon centers walls.

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Incidentally, I noticed when editing old chapters awhile ago how close to being the same Trek and Jek are name wise. When I came up with Trek's name, I wanted it to be a bit of foreshadowing, or appropriate to his off shoot stories. So I thought of a good pokemon name that would fit with the idea of journey, adventure, trip, etc. I didn't even think about how similar their names were at the time. Jek was just something random I thought up while trying to think of an anime style name that might fit in with the Pokemon genre in general. I'm not great with thinking up good names for chars so I leap on anything halfway decent. I'm thinking while trying to come up with a fitting name for Trek that having been saying Jek so often that the ek at the end of Trek came to mind easier than other similarly suitable names. Just thought it was odd after I noticed it so figured I'd bring it up.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon in any way shape or form.

'yap yap' thought speech

"blah blah" spoken speech

Chapter 24 - A Journey's Beginning

Being in the city with this snow didn't improve my opinion of it by much. Everywhere I went, there was grimy slosh all over, a mockery of the innocent white it had started as. People continued going on about their lives, only a few showing any change for what I always considered a festive holiday season. 'Folks are really different in the city compared to the country. This must be what they call the "rattata race".'

The only difference came in the form of people walking instead of biking, and the few cars around didn't seem to be running. I'd only seen public service vehicles, police cars, a couple buses, and a salt truck. I was becoming rather bored but fought the urge to leave my hiding place. I found out very quickly that a yellow pelt and snow, grimy or not, didn't mix well when you were trying to remain unnoticed.

After being spotted and chased by a group of kids, thankfully too young to be trainers, I'd staked out a hiding spot behind a department store. In all my predictions of the future, I'd never envisioned my sitting in a cardboard box behind a store. 'At least I have this much, a lot warmer in here than out in the open.' It wasn't the first spot I'd picked, but after nearly puking a lung up at running into a grimer behind a downtown grocery store in a particularly nasty alleyway, I decided a new, cleaner, location was in order.

Thinking of the gray mass almost sent me in a coughing fit once more. 'That was a most unpleasant experience... glooms have nothing on those things. I think I'd prefer death over a run in with one of their evolved forms.' Shaking my head, I rid my thoughts of that particular nightmare and focused on my plan. I had little else to mull over while waiting for night. 'I left the hospital in the afternoon sometime, and it's been a few hours at least. These people look like they're starting to go home so it has to be nearing four or five o'clock. It gets dark earlier in winter, so I should be able to move soon.'

I knew people would still be out and about at that time, but even with street lights I would be much harder to spot. There were a few hedges and tree's along the side walks, this was a tourist city after all, but not nearly enough cover for me to keep moving comfortably. My stomach growling reminded me of another discomfort, 'I'll need to get something to eat soon or I'll be in trouble. Even if I can survive without food for awhile, I can't afford to become weak from hunger.'

So it was, each minute passed slower than the last. I couldn't bring myself to sleep with the paranoia of recapture hanging over me. That sensation isn't one I can say I was happy to have acquired it. A year ago, I would never have thought that I'd be marked by days of capture. Even as I was mentally begrudging this, I couldn't help but be relieved that it had been with the "good guys" as it were. 'I don't even want to imagine what I'd have gone through if those Rockets hadn't been stopped.'

"Stop! Thief!" A cry from the street echoed out. Glancing out from the cardboard flaps I couldn't make out the source cause of the alley's walls, but it came from the left somewhere. People paused and glanced in that direction at whatever the commotion was. A couple people on the nearest side of the street quickly moved as a blur ran past at knee level. It was only a quick moment that I saw it but it looked like a furret with something in it's mouth. Just as quickly as it appeared before alley, it was gone. 'It certainly moved fast enough to be a furret.' Moments after the pokemon had gone by, a young man in a green market apron did the same, only he was huffing and traveling at greatly reduced speeds.

"And here I try not to stereotype. Guess that furret doesn't feel like breaking any molds right?"

Startled by the sudden voice I jumped and bumped the cardboard box with my head. The whole event ended with it flopping over on top of me. Gripping the edge and lifting it, I peeked out to see the bottom of two blue feet. Before I could decide where to go from there, the other pokemon had lifted the box up over his head. "What're you hiding under this thing for? Are you scared?" The machop was asking me without any hint of malice despite what could have easily been taken as an insult. Indeed, instead he had a somewhat clueless happy expression.

"I'm not scared, just cautious. No reason to invite trouble when it can be avoided." I gave a quick glance down either side of the alley to confirm whether anyone else had managed to sneak up on me.

"Huh, I guess so." Still holding the box over his head, the machop continued to stare at me with his vapid gaze.

Finally, after I could take no more I asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?" With my statement he looked puzzled then outright amused.

"Me need help? Hoho! Do these look like they're in need of help?" He flexed his free arm, tensing the muscles. "Naw, I'm fine. Just passing through."

"I see." I thought he would nod or simply walk away but there he stood, still. I was starting to get annoyed now, but before I could bite out a remark he waved and began to depart... with my box. "Uh, excuse me! You're still carrying that box I was in." Turning back around he spared me a nod and a "Yep". "Err... I was using it, do you think you can put it down now?"

"Why would I do that? I need a box; came here looking for one actually." My eye twitched slightly and before I could snap back he went on, "Oh, I guess I didn't ask, how rude. Do you own this box?"

"Well, no, it was out here lying around. It's just that I was using it already to stay out of sight and the weather." Even while I was citing a natural concept of politeness and social etiquette, I was musing over what an odd fellow I had run into. 'I'm not getting the impression that he's being mean, just, uh, not looking at it the same way or something.'

"Oh, it's fine then right? Sharing is important after all. I'll bring it back and you can use it again next! Hoho!" He turned around and continued down the alley away from the occupied street.

"Well... I guess that's true. Ya... sharing. Well, have fun with it then." It was obvious I wasn't going to get through to him on something like this, and the whole exchange left me a little baffled. 'Had to have been one concussion too many.' So I sat there, cold snow sticking to my pelt, as a machop walked away with my shelter that I'm, apparently, sharing with him.

Looking around, I concluded that my earlier deduction on that box being the only acceptable one returned. There were two other boxes next to the dumpster, but one was filled with something slimy that I didn't want to investigate too thoroughly. The other was iced over from getting wet, and filled with garbage. 'Well, third times the charm. The next spot can't get ruined like these two, certainly."

There was a gasp behind me and an adolescent girls voice said "Look look, a pikachu mom!" Taking it as my cue to go, I started off down the alley away from the street without looking back. The teal bricks blurred around me as I belted down the alley. My ears pressed backwards against my head. I had always thought it was a stream lining thing when pokemon did this, but really it was just easier on their muscles to not hold them out against the air flow and it kept most of the noise from the wind passing by out of my hearing.

Shortly after I began my run, a handful of random turns at most, I came before a dead end. On edge, my ears lifted and shifted to catch sounds of unlikely pursuit. 'Nothing.' A fire escape before me was covered with plant pots (any berries that may have been there long since picked or dead), wind chimes, and other patio trinkets, pointed to it belonging to an apartment building of some form. The bottom of it caught my eye because it was within jumping distance. 'Securing high ground might be the way to go instead of trying to hide below eye level.'

Easily bounding from a trash container, to a windowsill, and then further onwards to grasp the bottom bars of the metallic fire-walk, I was once again amazed with my current form. 'I'm smaller than I was as a human, but can reach places beyond obstacles with far greater ease. Where's the justice in that... though, best not to look a gift ponyta in the mouth I guess.'

The metal was built for traction for a persons shoes, not small clawed paws aiming for grip. They stung from the cold metal digging into them uncomfortably as I climbed, but I knew it wouldn't cause any lasting harm. I was fortunate for the weather now at least, it was too cold for windows to be open and few would let their pokemon wander in it randomly. 'So long as I avoid parks or playgrounds, this is the water pokemon city.'

It was a bit hazardous making the final leap onto the roof from the railing below, but I was nimble enough and my claws held firm to the edge. 'I'd have just slipped off the ice on the edge in I didn't have claws... This is actually kind of liberating.' I realized I was enjoying having access to places I wouldn't have been able to go to before, either through social expectations, or etiquette, and even just physical capabilities. 'It's the little things that count sometimes.'

Of course, this thought was well on it's way out after the chilling wind hit me. I scurried to a roof access on the other end, closer to the street below. Being behind the protrusion of the stairwell going inside and downward, the wind was effectively blocked. 'It's still colder up here though, this is only temporary.' Maybe I had thought of this factor earlier when I decided to stay ground level and forgotten it since. It seemed fairly obvious now that I was dealing with it.

To make matters worse, my stomach made itself and it's displeasure known. 'I really wish I had pockets or a container. I could have packed some food while I was at the center.' You don't realize until it's too late just how helpful conveniences like that are. I was hoping I could make it out of the city and begin foraging for food on my own before I became hungry. I knew I should have eaten a full meal at breakfast, but I had been so nervous about my escape after I sat down for awhile I only ended up half halfheartedly eating a handful of poke-chow. All the running I did to distance myself from the center had sapped my vigor also.

'I refuse to beg, both for my pride and for the risks involved, but I'd loathe to have to steal food as well. There are bound to be strays in a city this size also, no doubt their taking what slim pickings there may be from scrounging.' I couldn't afford to be weak in the the forest though. In the city it's simply a question of capture and morality, but if I leave here hungry it'll become a question of mortality.

I decided to stray into the wind to look over the roofs edge and see the passerby's below. As though viewing something other than the wind swept flakes flowing past my gaze would inspire me with an acceptable solution to my dilemma.

It was about everything I imagined looking down from a city building upon the street would look like. Though it was novel to actually see the sight in and of itself. There was a majestic quality to it I hadn't considered before. Something about the energy of everyone having something to do, all the purpose that was thick in the air. 'I seem to be seeing a lot of things I never saw before, despite forging a career based on my sight.'

After being at the pikachu colony, I was looking at this place in a new light. 'This is one of my peoples nesting grounds. Well, one of many different kinds. I never really thought of it in terms like this before.' I stood there for a time, only breaking my gaze when the chill began to set in uncomfortably so.

Before I could retreat and regroup something below caught my eye. A shady seeming rattata was looking, leeringly, about in a small alley beside my chosen perch. They seemed to come to a conclusion and quickly bounced their way up into a cracked window above them. I was considering the possibility of them being a resident trying to find a way in before I could clearly see they were casing the domicile before pawing the sliding window open further.

'It seems theft by pokemon has become rather rampant in this city, rather unusual for such a tourist location. Usually the in flow of money and well maintained streets allows for a more positive mentality in the locals.' I was quickly considering simply ignoring it but my curiosity, and perhaps some amount of simple good will, kicked in. 'If nothing else, I'll get some warmth in return for the good deed. Considering, I doubt merit badges will be involved.'

Making my way down to street level was a simple matter. The gap between the two apartment complexes was barely five feet, a distance that was simplicity itself with my current acrobatic capabilities. After that, it was simply jumping down the ledges and different window sills. To say I was enjoying the new found mobile freedom was an understatement. 'Maybe I'm just looking for excuses to do this kind of thing actually.'

When I did finally reach the window in question, I didn't see the errant pokemon in the immediate room. It was apparently a bedroom window and the rattata had either decided to hide in here or was making it's way further into the house. I hesitated briefly before taking a step inwards, cautiously making my way past what had to be a kids room if the rockets and stars were of any indication. 'Hmm, they have a fixation with rockets and yet they're favorite pokemon, if the stuffed animals, stickers, and posters lying atop the space theme wallpaper are of any indication, is an onyx. How does a space junky fall for a traditionally grounded pokemon?'

The deep brown wooden door was already ajar and the hallway stretched before it. It couldn't have been more then eight feet in length, but it was still rather intimidating. 'Huh, actually this is the first time I've been in a home like this before isn't it? Makes sense...' There were several closed doors and a carpeted room, the living room more than likely, was positioned at the end.

It wasn't until I was halfway down the hall, ignoring the closed doors, that I realized I really didn't have a plan of action. 'I'd better come up with something before I go in there and just make a fool of myself. Somehow I doubt yelling or scolding them will produce desirable results.'

While contemplating a plan of action, the object of my focus rounded the corner from the carpeted area. Any doubts I may have had were slaughtered upon seeing the handkerchief with part of a french bread loaf sticking out the top. It was almost comical seeing it carrying the little makeshift stolen food bundle that was about as big as he, as I could now tell, was.

He stared at me like a stantler caught in headlights, but before I could capitalize on the situation a door opened behind me. My ears jerked to face the direction and was soon followed by my head. A man in his early thirties stood there in blue sweats looking at us blankly. He snapped to attention far quicker than me and was already bringing out a red ball from behind the doorway. That was about when my flight instincts kicked in and I shot towards the living room.

The rattata had just decided to abandon the food when I reached him and a cry of "Get them Rosco!" echoed behind me. At first glance the living room with a side bar like counter separating the kitchen from it had no immediate exits. While darting for the kitchen I spared a glance behind me. A persian had just swiped at the rattata and despite the seriousness of the situation I couldn't help noting how amusing it was to seeing a rattata dodging with a same sized loaf of french bread wedged in their mouth.

It took me all of half a second to identify the horizontal sink window as being open-able and jumping up on the counter to undo the latch. 'Adrenaline sure is handy.' I heard steps in the kitchen and could see the thief making their way to me with the defensive pokemon in pursuit in my peripheral vision. When I all but threw the window upwards after unlocking it I hollered, unnecessarily, at the pokemon to hurry and jump out with me.

It could only have been six or seven feet in the air so I wasn't worried about the consequences of the short drop. It turned out to be into the street, but I had other things on my mind to be worried about. I heard something hit the ground near me in the packed well walked upon snow. Shortly after I heard them running off. I gave chase, though I was confused as to why.

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I found myself heaving in a snowy alley far from the scene of the crime at the end of the winding journey. Rat, as I was thinking of him now, was no better off. The slight whistling sound he made as the air rushed passed his buck teeth was rather hilarious.

"What gives, ya Green horn!?" I snapped to focus to see Rat looking at me angrily, the bread grounded at his forepaws.

"What the heck?" I stared at him confused.

Rolling his eyes he just hollered at me once more, "I had an entire sack, what the hells your problem huh?"

I'd normally get upset with anyone yelling at me like this, but he was fairly smaller than me so it was more amusing than anything else. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize you wanted that foul up to be a private moment. I feel so bad."

He let off a low growl before picking up the loaf and flicking his tail in my direction as he began trotting away.

"Hey wait a second there, where do you think you're going? As I recall, you'd be meowth food right now if I hadn't saved your hide." I crossed my arms and stared him down as he looked back at me.

"Pfft, whadda ya want, a medal or somethun?" I continued to stare into his half lidden eyes, unwavering. "Fine, fine whatever... it's not worth battling over. Here twerp." I uncrossed my arms to catch a suddenly air born half of the bread loaf.

I wasn't really sure what had just happened and found myself dazedly saying, "What the heck?", once more.

I looked up to see Rat's retreating form yelling back, "Yer not getting anymore 'an that, so piss off jackwad!"

A few minutes must have passed before the whole event finally dawned on me. 'Ah wait a second, I just wanted acknowledgment that I saved his ass and deserved some gratitude. How did it end up like this? Now I'm an accomplice to his theft with half the spoils in my paws.' I stared at the morsel for a time. 'It's not like returning it would matter, they'd just throw it away since it was on the street and in a rattata's mouth... Speaking of, it was in a rattata's mouth while they were running like crazy.' I scrunched my nose with that last thought and continued contemplating it.

However I wanted to look at it, I felt my eyes were well and fixated on the half-loaf. Hardly any time passed before I was eating it slowly, savoring the taste of the freshly baked bread, and quietly removing the salivated end piece. 'This has got to be a new low for me, I just know it.' Carrying a small sense of defeat with me, I began making my way further into the back streets of Cerulean City.

END Chapter 24 - A Journey's Beginning

Parting Author Note: Thus his trip back to the cave begins, as does this story once more. I had to stop myself while writing this a couple times cause I kept coming up with episodic, light hearted plots. While the light hearted part was good, I didn't like the episodic factor. I don't want a story that rehashes over used plots (however cool I could make them) with a feel good ending on team work and friendship you know? So, it took awhile to actually find a plot course for him being in the city and leaving it that satisfied me.

One such plot was the furret being a lackey for a large slow pokemon that suckers quicker, but weaker, pokemon into causing a ruckus and gaining attention while he steals things since he's too slow to do it himself without risk of capture. He tries to sucker Jek into being one of his fall guys(the ones that get noticed and often caught) but is turned down. Running into the furret again, he finds out about the ruse. So he figures out the next mark and then communicates to a human working there about the upcoming theft. Pointing out that the fall guy isn't important and instead it's the one that comes afterwords (he'd use a rock to indicate the first guy then use a bigger rock and point out it's significance with it coming in after the first one and he puts it on his head and points at it to try and convey "crown/king" "head/boss"). In the end, the theft boss pokemon is captured and the furret feels lost but ends up being pals with the human that laid the trap with Jek after the furret agrees to work hard in the store and stop stealing. See what I'm saying about episodic? That was just one, I had to throw out like five of 'em. It was bad.

I have the general plot outlined, but I do the steps in between on the spot so I can retain flexibility and let the story progress naturally. I had an idea last year I was going to use, but it got fuzzy and the bits I did remember I didn't like, so had to dive back in from stage one.

I'm working on a college degree right now, so I'm not sure how often I'll be updating. Even if it takes three years (I hope not), I'm going to complete this though. That's the only guarantee I can offer sadly.

Jek is back! Yee Haw!


End file.
